


heavy lies the head that wears the crown.

by pyroallerdyce



Series: a dyad in the force (aka all my ben/rey fics) [150]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, F/M, I mean like very minor, I suppose it's also Alternate Universe - Future, Kings & Queens, Lords & Ladies, Massive use of Star Wars planets to name things, Medieval-ish but with Television, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), Novel, Princes & Princesses, Slow Burn, War is looming, Wordcount: 50.000-100.000, a bit of politics, but of course they fall in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:59:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 53,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23019682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyroallerdyce/pseuds/pyroallerdyce
Summary: After her parents are poisoned, Rey is now the new Queen of Jakku at the age of seventeen. Her grandfather, Emperor Palpatine of the Coruscant Empire, tries to use this as an opportunity to control her, but when it becomes clear that he's the one behind the poisoning, Rey needs allies to help bring him down.  She finds an ally in the Skywalkers of Tatooine, but King Anakin wants something in return - for Rey to marry his grandson Prince Ben.  This is not how Rey wanted to find a husband, and Ben does not want to have Rey as his wife, but Rey is desperate and Ben will not disobey an order from his king.  As they plan the right way to invade the Empire, Rey and Ben grow closer, and this marriage of alliance turns into something more.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: a dyad in the force (aka all my ben/rey fics) [150]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1601755
Comments: 55
Kudos: 119





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have entirely too much time on my hands and absolutely no time on my hands at the same time. I'm only writing a hundred and ninety-six bajillion things at the moment, so you're getting updates on this on Sundays, but not every week. (And yes, I know it's a Wednesday when I'm first posting this, but I just can't sit on it any longer. I need to know what someone thinks.) The summary is probably atrocious, but I don't really know how else to describe it.
> 
> Also, since it's not clear in the opening chapter but might become clearer as the story goes on, this is set on Earth thousands of years after the Great Disaster (yeah, I totally stole that from the High Republic announcement), which obliterated civilization as we know it. The world has developed into nations again, but they are ruled by kings and queens (and well, emperors) like in medieval times, but there is some technology of the past that still functions in these societies, namely television and some other things. Therefore, that's why this has the Alternate Universe - Dystopia tag. 
> 
> There will be more characters and more background pairings, but Ben/Rey will be the main focus. It will be a slow burn though, so be prepared for that. Tags will expand as the story goes along, I'm sure, and I might have to change the warnings depending on how this goes, but I am not sure of that yet. The chapters will be long, and there might be several weeks between updates. It just depends on how my writing flows. 
> 
> Thanks, Scarlett, for telling me that this idea didn't suck. Hopefully, you still feel that way when you read it.
> 
> If you do happen to like what you read, can you please let me know via either a comment or a kudos or a bookmark so that I know I'm not writing into a void? They're all greatly appreciated, but comments really put a smile on my face, and I could use a lot of that right now. 
> 
> I'm so nervous about this one for some reason. I hope you enjoy.

In the center of the bustling city of Niima, the capital of the realm of Jakku, stood the dark yet shining fortress that was known as Onyx Palace. Despite having the name of a palace, it was actually a castle, built from the strongest of the stones taken from the nearby Blackrock Mountains, thus giving it its dark appearance and onyx name. It covered several acres of land, and its vast outer bailey, ringed by battlement walls, contained kennels, mews, stables, archery butts, workshops, and arms-training grounds. The great hall, along with its massive pantry, kitchen, dairy, and bakery, was tightly ringed by smaller walls fortified with numerous towers. Fourteen different towers stood tall around the outside of the castle, three keeps with a different division of the Queen's Cavalry stationed in each one, two tall curtain walls, and a moat that was filled with water from the nearby Yarrow River. Onyx Palace was the most impressive of all the realm's palaces and castles and served as the official home for the Sovereign and their family. In recorded history, the castle dated back to the beginning of the city of Niima in the year 3323, when the city was built around its already standing walls, and it was thought in common folklore to be the first building found that had survived the Great Disaster in what would become the realm of Jakku.

It was in the main corridor of Onyx Palace where Lord Poe Dameron, the Duke of Yavin and equerry to the Queen, stood outside the Queen's chambers prepared for a brisk walk. The brisk walk down the corridor was a morning ritual, taking place at exactly the same time every day that Her Majesty The Queen was in residence at Onyx Palace. It began precisely at a quarter to six, and it ended at two minutes past the hour with the arrival of the Queen to the Throne Room, where she would take her breakfast and then begin her morning meetings. The corridor was the main walkway through Onyx Palace, twisting and turning its way from one end of the building to the other, and while hardly any of the courtiers in residence had risen from their beds, Poe knew that the Queen wanted to be prepared to see all of them before her meetings began. 

The morning of August nineteenth began no different than any of the other days that Poe had begun with the Queen at Onyx Palace. He was ready outside the door to the Queen's private chambers at sixteen minutes to six, a stack of papers clutched in one arm, waiting for the Queen to emerge and for them to begin the walk. The large, gold antique clock that hung on the wall outside the Queen's chambers ticked over to a quarter to six, but the door did not fly open with force the way it did every morning. Poe assumed that the Queen must just be uncharacteristically running late, but when the clock chimes let him know that it was now six and the Queen still had not emerged, he began to become concerned. 

By the time that it was six-fifteen, Poe's concern had turned into alarm, and he sent for one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting so that she could enter the Queen's chambers and see what was causing the delay. Jannah slipped into the room quietly and Poe waited, but then Jannah's scream was heard out in the hallway and the knights that were outside the door ran into the room, Poe following behind. They followed Jannah's screams and went into the bedroom the Queen shared with her husband, and Poe laid his eyes on what Jannah had found. 

The Prince was lying on the bed, still in the suit he'd worn for the banquet the night before. His eyes were open but the glassy look of them made it clear that he was no longer alive. The Queen was on the other side of the bed, collapsed onto the floor with that same glassy look in her eyes, letting Poe know that she had been dead for some time. Two glasses were shattered on the floor, an open bottle of wine sitting on one of the bedside tables. 

“Poe,” Jannah said shakily. “What do we do now?”

“We need the court doctors in here to find out what happened. We need to inform the Council. We need...” Poe trailed off as something else occurred to him. “We need to make sure that the Crown Princess is unharmed!”

Poe turned to the knights. “Keep anyone else from coming into the room. Jannah, go retrieve the doctors and bring them here. We need to know what happened. I'll go check on the Crown Princess.”

Jannah and the guards nodded and Poe walked out of the room, taking a deep breath outside the chamber doors before running towards Rey's room. He was halfway there when he saw Rose walking towards him, and he grabbed her by the elbow and led her into an alcove. “Rose, I need you to go make sure that Rey is alright.”

Rose peered at him in concern. “Poe? What's wrong?”

Poe swallowed hard. “The Queen and the Prince are dead. Rey is now the Queen.”

Rose's eyes widened. “Dead?”

“It happened at some point last night. I don't know more than that at the moment.”

“You know I'm going to need more details than that before I speak to her.”

“It's more important that we know that she's safe at the moment. If something has happened to her as well, there's no one in the Royal Family left to rule.”

“The minute I go in there, she's going to wake up,” Rose said. “She's going to want to know what I'm doing in there instead of one of her ladies, especially at this hour.”

Poe took a deep breath. “Go in there quietly and see if she is breathing. That's all I want you to do right now. Please, Rose. This is important.”

“I have been meaning to return a book to her,” Rose said after a moment. “I'll retrieve it from my chambers and bring it with me in case she wakes up.”

“I'll wait outside her door for your answer,” Poe said. “Hurry.”

Rose rushed off and Poe continued his trek to Rey's chambers, leaning up against the wall and looking at the clock that hung across the hall. Six-thirty. Judging by the look in the Queen and the Prince's eyes, the fact that they were still wearing the clothes that they'd worn at the banquet the night before, and the fact that there were two glasses shattered on the floor and that open bottle of wine in their room, Poe thought he could make an educated guess as to what had happened.

Poison.

There were two questions now. How had someone slipped a poisoned bottle of wine to the Queen and Prince? 

And who was it that had wanted the Queen and Prince dead?

Rose arrived and carefully opened the door, slipping into the room. Poe kept his gaze focused on the clock, watching the secondhand tick its way around. Rey had to be alright. She had to be. There was going to be chaos as it was. There would be even more uncertainty if the entire Royal Family had been wiped out in one night.

It felt like nine billion years had passed before the door quietly opened and Rose came back out into the hall. “She's alive.”

Poe felt relief flow through him at Rose's words. “That's wonderful news.”

“Thankfully, she didn't wake up, but I'm going to need a lot more information before I can break the news to her,” Rose said seriously. “And I should be the one to do it. It needs to come from a friend, not a courtier.”

“I agree with that,” Poe said, glancing over at the clock again. “What time is she expected to rise?”

“She is never awake before eight or eight-thirty,” Rose said, looking over at the clock. “I can go in there a little bit before that, but not too much. She needs to enjoy these last moments of peace while her life is still hers.”

“I'll try to get all the information I can by seven forty-five,” Poe said, sighing. “But you're going in there no later than that. I know that she deserves these last moments of peace, but she's the Queen now. She'll be needed today for lots of different things.”

“I understand. What else can I do?”

“Gather her ladies-in-waiting. Let them know what has happened and that you are the one who is going to break the news to Rey. I'll get more knights to stand guard here. She needs members of the Queen's Guard now, and the best there is at that.”

“Where shall I find you after I do that?”

Poe looked down at the papers in his hand for a moment. “I need to go take charge of things in the Queen's chambers. Come there. The guards won't let you into the room but tell them you want to speak to me. I'll let them know that I'm expecting you.”

“Then I will do so,” Rose said, glancing at the clock again. “I'll go and speak to her ladies. I'll see you in a little bit.”

Poe nodded and Rose reached out and pulled him into a hug. “I don't know what's happened, but it's going to be okay, Poe. Rey is strong enough to handle this.”

“I know she is,” Poe murmured as Rose released him. “Now go. I'll speak to you in a while.”

Rose nodded and they went their separate ways. Poe felt like he was in a daze as he made his way back to the Queen's chambers, but he knew that he had to focus. There was just too much to do.

The Queen was dead.

Long live the Queen.

**********

The incessant knocking at the door infuriated the young woman lying in bed, trying to cling to the last tendrils of sleep instead of rising and facing the day. Part of her thought that she ought to rise and see what on earth the knocking was all about, but the part of her that was still a lazy teenager won out. _Besides,_ Rey thought as she laid back down, _I've never opened a door on my own in my life._

After several minutes, the knocking stopped abruptly, and just when she thought that she could go back to sleep, she heard the door to the room open. Sighing heavily, she sat up in bed and reached towards her bedside table, checking the time before picking up her silver hairbrush and beginning to brush the tangles out of her hair. “Elizabeth,” she called out. “Why on earth were you knocking at my door? And why so early as well? I never rise before eight.”

“Rey,” she heard a voice softly say, and she looked up to see one of her best friends, not her lady-in-waiting, standing at the entrance to her room. 

“Rose,” Rey said, setting her brush back on the table and quickly rising from her bed. “Rose, you look as though you've seen a ghost. Come and sit down, please.”

Rey rushed over to her and led her to one of the chairs in the room's sitting area, dropping to her knees in front of her. “Rose, tell me what is wrong.”

Rose was a strong woman, always priding herself on her ability to control her emotions, but as she looked down at her friend, the words that she knew she had to say to her would not come. Instead, a shaky hand reached out and touched Rey's arm. “Your Majesty,” she said softly, so softly that Rey barely heard it.

“Rose?”

“Your Majesty,” Rose said again, this time a little louder, taking in her friend's face. _Oh,_ she thought, _how it wasn't supposed to be this way for you, Rey. You are only seventeen._

Rey stared at her, confused, until the two words that Rose kept muttering sank into her mind. And there they hovered, just above understanding, until Rey scrambled up onto her feet and her expression changed from confusion to shock. “No. No! It cannot be! Mama is perfectly healthy.”

Rose looked up at the new Queen before standing, and then, with the most profound reverence, dipped into a deep curtsy. “Your Majesty.”

Rey dropped back down to the floor as tears flooded her eyes, and moments later, she felt Rose's protective arms wrap around her. Through her sobs, she listened to the words that Rose spoke and gleaned details about what had happened while she had been sleeping so peacefully.

Her father found on the bed. Her mother collapsed on the floor. By the time they were discovered, it was too late. They didn't yet know the cause, but poison was the current thought. Autopsies would be performed later in the day, and then their bodies would go to the cathedral to lie in state. The Council would tell the rest of the court, but it was Rey who must face the rest of the kingdom.

Rose kept her arms around Rey until the sobs stopped coming and the tears stopped flowing down her cheeks. Then she said that she would go find out what she would be allowed to eat for breakfast given the fact that they suspected poison, stood up, and walked out of the room. 

It wasn't long until the door was opening again, and this time it was Elizabeth who came into the room, stopping in front of Rey and offering a deep curtsy. “Your Majesty. Pardon me, my lady, but we need to prepare you for the rest of the day.”

“Of course,” Rey said, her voice breaking. “Of course, Elizabeth. The day must go on.”

Elizabeth dropped into another deep curtsy before beginning to move around the room, pulling a selection of black clothing from the closets and making up the sheets on the bed. Rey just sat there, the full weight of those two words that Rose wouldn't stop saying settling into her mind.

Your Majesty.

She was the Queen.

**********

The bright spotlight shone directly into Rey's eyes, making it so she could just barely make out the camera that was a few feet in front of her. She could hear the other people in the room rushing around, making sure that every last detail was in order, for this speech to the nation had to be perfect. It was her first as monarch, and it needed to accomplish many goals, but more than any other, it needed to convince the people of Jakku that she was ready to be queen despite her tender age. After one last check of the lights, she heard one of the production assistants begin to count backward from ten, and the room fell into utter silence as she took one last breath. A small red spot appeared in the bright yellow of the spotlight, and she began to speak.

“Respected and honored citizens of Jakku, I come to you this evening to express my appreciation for the outpouring of sadness and grief that you have shown since the announcement this morning of my parents' passing,” she said in a strong, clear voice, thankful that she had memorized the words that she had written because the teleprompter that was supposed to be guiding her was lost in the spotlight. “It is a comfort to me to see that the Queen and the Prince meant as much to you as they did to me, and although they can no longer confirm the truth of my words, I know in my heart that the affection between the Queen and Prince and you, the citizens of the realm, was mutual in all ways. They dedicated their lives to serving the people of Jakku in every possible way that they could and their memories are honored by the dignified way in which you have accepted this sudden and shocking news. It is my personal hope that many years from now, both people and history will look back upon them fondly.

“I am speaking to you tonight from the D'Qar Drawing Room here at Onyx Palace, and being in this space is bringing back several memories of the woman who was more than just my queen, but also my mother. There is a story from my childhood that she used to tell guests in this very room after dinners with the court, and I feel it is an appropriate story to share with you now. When I was five-years-old, I fell off my bicycle in the palace gardens and broke my right arm. While many tried to convince my mother that I would be okay at the hospital with only my governess, she had her whole schedule rearranged so that she could accompany me there. The court doctor examined me and then wrapped my arm in a bright pink plaster-cast while my mother sat there with a calming smile. On our way back to the palace, I turned to my mother and told her that I thought I'd like to be a doctor when I grew up. She put her hand upon my shoulder and gently said to me, 'No, Rey, you cannot be a doctor. You are destined for something far greater than that.' Later that night, she sat on the edge of my bed and explained to me that I was not just a princess, but that one day I would become queen.

“That conversation took place twelve years ago. It took me a long time before I came to understand the true meaning of those words, and even longer to be comfortable with the weight of responsibilities those words carried with them. I can say to you with complete honesty that I thought I would have many more years before that destiny was to be fulfilled, but I mean every word of the solemn vow I am about to make to you. I may be only seventeen-years-old, but I am ready to meet the responsibilities and commitments of being your Queen. There will be a transition, as there is always a transition between one monarch and the next, but I am determined to make that transition as smooth as possible, and to serve you, the respected citizens of my realm, to the utmost of my ability and beyond.

“I ask for your patience in allowing myself to grieve for my loss, for while you have lost a great Queen and Prince, I have lost a great mother and father. I ask that you allow yourself to grieve for them as much or as little as is necessary, and for you to be patient and supportive of those around you who are doing the same. And, if we allow each other such patience and support, then the transition from the reign of my mother to my own will be successful.

“I will address the nation again in three days, following the burial of my mother and father in the Hall of Kings in Niima, and I will continue to speak to our nation regularly after that because I believe that as Queen, an open dialogue between the monarch and the people is the only way to have a prosperous and happy kingdom. I say all of this to you not only as a grieving daughter, but as your Queen, a title and privilege that I will never take lightly. Goodnight and may the Force bless us all.”

The red light went out after a few seconds, followed moments later by the bright spotlight. The staff gathered in the room broke out into applause, and Rey quietly thanked them before standing up and quickly walking from the room. 

By the time that she reached the chambers that had always been her own, she had broken down into sobbing tears.

**********

“Rose,” Rey called out as she stared at herself in the mirror. “Remind me again what it is I am supposed to do today?”

“You are greeting those who have come to represent their realms at your parents' funeral tomorrow and then there will be a dinner with all of them tonight,” Rose said as Elizabeth walked out of the closet with a beautiful knee-length black dress in her hands. 

“Is this what you wanted to wear today, my lady?”

“Yes,” Rey said, standing up and walking over to where Elizabeth was standing. “My mother gave me this dress. She wore it when she was a teenager. It was a gift from her mother. I suppose it's rather sentimental, but it reminds me of her.”

“I think that it's a beautiful choice, my lady, and one so meaningful as well,” Elizabeth said, laying the dress over the screen as Rey stepped behind it. “I'll go and tidy up the closet.”

“Elizabeth,” Rey called out as she slipped off her robe. “I'll need my shoes.”

“Oh yes, of course. I'll return in a minute with them, my lady.”

Rey reached for the dress, slipping it over her head and into place on her body. “Rose, I need your help with the zipper.”

A few moments later, Rose stepped behind the screen, setting a pair of shoes down on a chair and reaching for the zipper on the dress. “This is a beautiful dress, Rey. You look stunning in it.”

“Thank you, Rose,” Rey said, reaching to hold her hair out of the way as Rose zipped up the dress. When the zipper was done, she let her hair fall back down around her shoulders and she turned to look at herself in the mirror.

The image reflecting back at her was one she was not yet used to. There was the all-black clothing that symbolized her grief, and it was that color which would be her uniform for the next three months until the official period of mourning had ended. The Sovereign's ring, a combination of sapphires and emeralds set in gold, hung heavy on the ring finger of her right hand, the tiniest symbol that she was the sovereign, but one of the most powerful in her opinion. She briefly thought of how she used to play with the ring on her mother's finger when she was a child, but then shoved that thought to the back of her mind. There were a time and a place to think about her, and it certainly wasn't when other people were in the room. 

“Rey? Are you alright?” Rose asked softly, and Rey turned her attention back to her friend. 

“I'm fine,” Rey said quickly. “I just don't know if I'm ready for this.”

“You're ready,” Rose said, reaching out to squeeze Rey's hand. “I know it.”

Rey nodded and Rose disappeared from behind the screen, Elizabeth coming in moments later with a large velvet box. She pulled the chair in front of the mirror and lifted the shoes off of it, setting them on the ground before placing the velvet box on the small table that was behind the screen. “Sit down, my lady, and I will finish with your hair while you put on your shoes.”

Rey sat down on the chair and looked into the mirror again, sighing when she caught sight of the velvet box being opened out of the corner of her eye. “Must I wear that?”

“Protocol dictates that the monarch must wear the crown,” Elizabeth said, reaching into the velvet box and lifting out a diamond-encrusted circlet with four crosses and four fleurs-de-lys. “You are lucky in that you can only wear the circlet for everyday use though. Past kings had to wear the entire thing.”

“I have to wear the entire thing for my coronation,” Rey pointed out as Elizabeth set it upon her head and went about attaching it to her hair with various pins. “According to my mother, the whole thing will give me a headache. It weighs so much.”

“You will have time to practice with it so that you can get used to the weight,” Elizabeth said, stepping back from her and looking at her work. “There. I believe you are done, my lady.”

Rey shook her head slightly, and when the circlet didn't move, she smiled and stood up, slipping her feet into the shoes that Elizabeth had put on the floor. “I hope this goes quickly.”

“You never know, my lady. You might enjoy it.”

Rey looked back at Elizabeth and laughed. “I somehow doubt that.”

Elizabeth dipped into a deep curtsy and Rey walked towards the door, motioning for Rose to follow her. When they were outside the room, they were met by Poe, and Rey gave him a soft smile. “Poe. Thank you for everything that you have done to keep things running smoothly while this has all been happening. I don't know what I would have done without your help and guidance.”

“It is an honor, Your Majesty. May I have a word?”

“Of course,” Rey said, turning to Rose. “Can you go and tell Elizabeth that I'll need different shoes? I've barely walked in these and I can already tell that my feet will be killing me within an hour.”

“I'll get you some different shoes and bring them to the Throne Room,” Rose said, slipping back into Rey's chambers. 

“Walk with me,” Rey said, beginning to walk towards the Throne Room. “What is it that you need?”

Poe waited until she was a few steps ahead of him before he began to walk. “Your grandfather the Emperor arrived late last night, my lady. He would like to meet with you privately.”

“I don't have time for that, I think,” Rey said. “You would know that better than I would.”

“I agree that you don't have much time for that, but he has been quite insistent that this private meeting occurs. It is perhaps a good idea for you to set aside a brief amount of time and see him. He is part of the only family that you have left.”

Rey sighed heavily. “Poe, I do not like spending time with him. He unnerves me.”

“I know, my lady, but meeting with the ruler of another country is part of what you have to do now,” Poe said, dropping his voice low. “I will make the meeting as short as possible. No more than ten minutes. He will understand how important it is for you to move on to other things. He has gone through this when his father passed.”

Rey nodded after a moment. “No more than ten minutes. And I want someone outside the room that can interrupt at a moment's notice if they hear raised voices. There seems to never be a time that my grandfather and I are face-to-face when we do not end up arguing.”

“I will have it arranged, my lady,” Poe said, following Rey until she stopped. “Finn will handle presenting the guests to you in the Throne Room. I will go arrange a meeting with your grandfather.”

“Thank you, Poe. Keep me informed of when that will be so I can prepare myself for it.”

“Yes, my lady.” Poe bowed in respect and then walked away.

Rey walked the rest of the way to the Throne Room on her own, or as alone as she could be with members of the Queen's Guard walking in front of her and behind to make sure nothing happened to her. She'd been used to the knights when she'd walked with her mother, but she was still getting used to them being there for her. When she arrived at the doors to the Throne Room, she took a deep breath and nodded at the knights stationed there. They opened the doors and as she walked through the doorway, a fanfare of trumpets was played, followed by the announcement of her arrival by Finn.

“Her Majesty the Queen!”

The murmur that was echoing throughout the room stopped immediately, and all the men in the room bowed as all the ladies dropped into a deep curtsy. Rey didn't acknowledge them at all, walking over to the solid silver throne that was raised two steps above the floor and carefully sitting down. After she smoothed her skirt out, she looked over at Finn and nodded.

Finn walked forward and waved his hand in the direction of a man, and the man stepped forward to face her. “His Excellency the Viceroy of Alderaan, Your Majesty.”

Bail Organa bowed in respect once again. “I trust the morning finds you well, Your Majesty.”

“As well as it can, Viceroy,” Rey said, reaching for the glass of water that had just been set next to the throne by one of the footmen. “Thank you for coming to pay your respects for my mother and father.”

“The Queen and the Prince are a great loss not only to Jakku but also to the entire world,” Bail said. “Breha and I were incredibly saddened when we heard the news. We offer whatever help and resources we can to ensure that you have a smooth transition into your reign.”

“Thank you, Viceroy,” Rey said, taking a sip from her glass. “I appreciate your offer greatly and will let you know if I need anything.”

Rey set the glass back down and glanced over at Finn. “Pass along my greetings to the Queen, Viceroy, and enjoy your time here in Jakku as much as you can.”

Finn stepped forward and Bail understood that his audience with Rey was over, bowing again before taking five steps backward. Then he bowed again before turning and walking from the room. Finn looked over at Rey and she nodded, and then the process was repeated with the King of Dantooine. Rey went through person after person after person, listening to them offer up condolences and thanking them for their offers of help. It was boring, tedious, and the last thing in the world she wanted to do, but she knew that she had no choice.

This was her life now, and she needed to accept that.

“His Royal Highness Prince Ben of Tatooine, my lady,” Finn said, and a man stepped forward and bowed.

“My grandfather and uncle send their apologies for not being here, Your Majesty, but they have been struck down by an illness that has left them unable to travel, so I have come in their stead.”

Rey studied him for a moment before deciding that he was gorgeous. “I hope that they are recovering well from this illness.”

“The doctors say that they will recover fully, my lady. The illness has just greatly weakened them temporarily.”

“Give them my regards,” Rey said, giving Ben a small smile. “And thank you for coming to pay your respects.”

“Your mother and father were great people, my lady. Renowned throughout the world for their kindness and generosity. My grandfather enjoyed dealing with the Queen on matters that concerned both our countries, and my grandmother recalls the Prince as someone who was jovial and kind. They will be missed.”

“Thank you,” Rey said again. “Your kind words are soothing at this time.”

Ben nodded. “I can only imagine what you are feeling right now, my lady. Both my parents still live, but the thought of even one of them gone is agonizing. I am sorry that you have to know such pain. The people of Tatooine are prepared to do whatever is necessary to help you in any way.”

“Thank you,” Rey replied. “It is nice to know that I can count on the people of Tatooine should I need them.”

Rey looked over at Finn and Finn stepped forward. Ben stepped back and bowed. “Thank you for the audience, my lady. It was my honor.”

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness, for coming.”

Ben bowed again and walked away, and Rey looked over to see Poe coming into the room. “I need a break, Finn. I must talk to Poe.”

Finn nodded and Rey climbed down from the throne, motioning to Poe to follow her into the antechamber that was behind the Throne Room. “Well?”

“Your grandfather is ready to receive you now,” Poe said. “I have informed him that it will be a short visit because you must return to your duties, and he said that would be alright.”

“Of course he did,” Rey muttered. “He's probably going to take control of everything.”

“You are his equal now, my lady,” Poe pointed out. “Sovereign to sovereign. You do not have to listen to every word he says.”

“I will try to remember that when he starts lecturing me,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “Where is he?”

“He's in the D'Qar Drawing Room.”

“Then let's go.”

Rey walked with Poe to the room and took a couple of deep breaths before the knights opened the door and she went inside. Her grandfather was standing at the other end of the room, dressed in some of his finest clothes and sipping from a glass of wine. “Grandfather.”

Sheev Palpatine turned to look at his granddaughter and immediately shook his head. “That is not appropriate clothing to be wearing during this time of mourning, Rey.”

“It is my choice what clothes I wear, not yours,” Rey said, trying to keep her voice strong. “I was told you wanted to meet with me privately. What do you wish to discuss?”

“Now, is that any way to talk to your grandfather?” Sheev asked, coming closer to her. “I would think that you would be happy to see your family at this time. I, for one, am happy that you were not a victim of this murderous plot.”

“As am I,” Rey said, taking a deep breath as he came up to her. “But I am a very busy woman now that I am Queen, and I need to keep this short. What is it you wish to discuss with me?”

“Yes, I suppose they are keeping you very busy. Transitions are always difficult. I remember the one when my father died. It was hard to keep myself focused at first, but that will get better as time goes on. You just need to remember to compartmentalize your emotions and not let them rule your head. Your heart is strong, Rey, but it needs to be forgotten. Pragmatism will make you a good Queen.”

“My mother often ruled with her heart and she was a good Queen,” Rey said, beginning to become infuriated. “And I plan to rule as my mother did.”

“Rey, you are too young to understand what I am saying. Yes, your mother ruled with her heart, but look at what that got her. A poisoned bottle of wine and an early death,” Sheev said, reaching out to put a hand on Rey's shoulder. “It is imperative that you not find yourself a victim of the same scenario that your poor, naïve mother did.”

What Sheev said made Rey pause, but she did not say anything to the man before her. “You may rule Coruscant however you wish,” she said. “But I will rule Jakku however I wish. Something tells me it will be vastly different from the way that you do so.”

“I would not go making enemies, Rey. Especially when your country is so weak,” Sheev said, and shivers went down Rey's spine. “But know that I will be there to back up your every decision with the might of the Imperial army should that be necessary. I will not let anything happen to you like what happened to my son.”

Rey stood there for a moment before removing Sheev's hand from her shoulder. “Thank you, Grandfather. But now I must return to my duties.”

Rey turned and left the room before anything could be said. Poe was waiting for her and Rey motioned for him to walk with her as she headed to her chambers. “I have something I must discuss with you, Poe, but I do not want to do it where anyone could hear.”

“Of course, my lady,” Poe said, and they were silent until they were in Rey's chambers and she had sent all her ladies-in-waiting away. “What is it that I can do to help you?”

“My grandfather said something to me that made a thought come into my mind, and I just can't shake it,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “He was critical of how my mother ruled, and then he said that her ruling with her heart led to a poisoned bottle of wine and an early death. I did not know that we had released the information that it was a bottle of wine that was laced with the poison that killed them.”

Poe let that settle into his mind. “We haven't said how they were poisoned,” he said after a moment. “Only that they were poisoned.”

“Then how would my grandfather know that it was a bottle of wine?” Rey asked, and they both stood there silently as they came to the same conclusion. “It was him.”

“It's possible that it was him, definitely,” Poe said, running his hands over his face. “They traced the bottle of wine back to a shipment that came in, but I do not know where it was from. It was the only bottle that had been taken from it, so I ordered the rest of it destroyed.”

“If that shipment came from Coruscant,” Rey said, her voice shaky, “then I see no reason not to believe that he is behind this.”

“Why would he want your parents dead?” Poe asked. “Why would he have his own son killed?”

“I don't know,” Rey murmured. 

Poe sucked in a deep breath. “This is not good.”

“No, it is not,” Rey said, taking a deep breath as well. “Perhaps he wants Jakku to become part of his Empire.”

“Which is why he married off one of his sons to the Queen of Jakku,” Poe mused. “Maybe your father was supposed to talk your mother into seeing the benefits of becoming part of the Empire, just like his brother did...”

“With the Hosnian Queen,” Rey finished. “He's made it so he has a young girl who is not prepared for this role on the throne and then he will attempt to manipulate me until he thinks the time is right.”

“And then the Empire can invade and take Jakku forcefully,” Poe ended. “We are not strong enough to take on the Empire's forces on our own. We will need allies.”

Rey nodded. “That can occur at another time. First, I must get through the funeral tomorrow, and then I must settle into the role of monarch. He is playing a long game with me. He will take his time to make his move. I am sure of it.”

“I think you are right about that,” Poe said, glancing over at the clock on the wall when it began to chime. “I must go to a meeting about how the funeral will be broadcast tomorrow. You should return to the Throne Room and act as though everything is fine.”

Rey nodded. “I think that's a good idea.”

They walked out of Rey's chambers and went separate ways, Rey slowly walking back in the direction of the Throne Room. She stopped herself short when she saw Ben wandering the corridor in front of her, staring up at the artwork that covered the walls.

She watched him for a few minutes, gathering information about this man that she had never really even heard of before, let alone seen. He stood taller than she was and had delightfully long dark hair that framed his face. He was an extraordinarily good looking man in Rey's estimation, but he was quite clearly much older than her, and he probably had a wife and perhaps children back in Tatooine. 

She really needed to learn who all of the members of the royal families were before she embarrassed herself completely. She wasn't even completely sure who Ben had been referring to when he'd mentioned his grandfather and uncle.

“Are you going to just stand there and stare at me, Your Majesty?” Ben said eventually, startling Rey.

“I didn't know you could see me,” Rey said after a moment, taking a few steps towards him. “Do you like the paintings?”

“Very much,” Ben said, turning to look at her. “You have quite the collection, my lady.”

“My grandmother once told me that it is the largest collection in the world, but I do not know if that is true,” Rey said, glancing up at a portrait of her great-great-great-grandfather. “And it is not mine, but the crown's. It just sort of comes with the place.”

“The largest collection in the world, you say?” Ben asked. “I would think that the Coruscant Empire would have the largest given that they have combined the collections of many kingdoms since they expanded.”

“You are probably right about that,” Rey said, studying his face as he looked from frame to frame. “I have just always been told that it is the largest.”

“The paintings are beautiful,” Ben said, turning to smile at her. “Is that a Yoda that I see up there?”

“Yes, that's an original Yoda piece,” Rey said, looking up at the painting. “He was a trusted friend of a couple of kings. He was the only painter that Queen Xandra would sit for.”

“One of the most renowned painters in all of the world,” Ben said, looking up at it as well. “He painted several portraits of my family as well. My grandparents treasure them, but I feel as though I am the only one who truly appreciates the craftsmanship.”

“When Yoda died, he left his entire collection to my family,” Rey explained. “This piece we're looking at is called A Walk Among Shadows, and he painted it outside his small bungalow in Dagobah in 3914.”

“You know your history of Yoda,” Ben said, smiling. “I'm impressed.”

“I like art,” Rey said. “I used to listen to my grandmother explain the paintings to me for hours when I was a child.”

A loud cough from behind them startled them both, and they turned to find Finn standing there. “My apologies for interrupting, Your Majesty, but there are several dignitaries that are waiting for an audience with you, and we cannot progress with the plans for the day until the audiences are had.”

Rey sighed heavily but nodded. “Your Royal Highness, I will see you at dinner this evening. Perhaps we can discuss art again.”

Ben bowed. “It would be an honor, my lady.”

“I look forward to it,” Rey said as she turned and started walking down the corridor, Finn following behind her. “Finn, is my grandfather among the dignitaries waiting for an audience?”

“No, my lady. I was told he had a private one with you earlier.”

“Good,” Rey said, shaking her head. “I will be able to get through these without wanting to murder someone then.”

“That bad?”

“Worse than you could even imagine, Finn. But that is not a conversation to have now.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Finn began to talk to her about plans for the dinner that was to be had that night, but Rey couldn't get her mind off her grandfather's words. If they were right, her grandfather had assassinated her parents, and Rey was terrified of what he'd do to her if she didn't go along with what he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR HOW LONG THIS TOOK. I have a seriously fucked up back at the moment and sitting at the computer has just not been manageable. It really still isn't but I just need to get back to writing and I spent a lot of time yesterday planning out the details of this story so I ended up writing the second chapter too. I promise that we will return to something resembling normal posting as soon as possible, but it's just not possible at this moment. 
> 
> Names of dukedoms and stuff are planets taken from the Star Wars universe, usually the character's home planet if known. If not known, I just picked one randomly. I made Finn's last name Storm since he was a stormtrooper, and you will come to learn that I made Jannah his older sister. Remember I said this is a slow burn, by the way.
> 
> Also, ages are not necessarily canon proportionate.

Rey had barely risen for the day when she was told that Poe had requested an immediate private audience with her. She granted him one and Poe came into her chambers. Rey ordered her ladies-in-waiting away, made sure the door was sealed shut, and then turned to him. “You have requested this audience very early in the morning, Poe.”

“My apologies, Your Majesty, but I felt that this simply could not wait,” Poe said. “I have traced the shipment of wine to its country of origin, my lady.”

“And?” Rey asked, sitting down in one of the sitting area's chairs. 

“And it came from Coruscant,” Poe said, sitting down when Rey motioned for him to. “It was a Coruscantian red blend that your mother and father were known to favor.”

“Which would explain why they chose it for that evening after the banquet was over,” Rey murmured. “They wanted to have a romantic evening together.”

“I believe that may be the case, my lady.” Poe paused and then looked over at Rey. “I believe that this information helps to confirm our theory that your grandfather is behind the poisoning of your parents.”

Rey closed her eyes and sat there for several moments, trying to process the thoughts that were going through her mind. Her father had loved his father deeply, and he had constantly tried to get Rey to see all of the Emperor's good traits. He'd always told Rey that she'd inherited some of them, but at that moment, Rey prayed that she'd inherited none of them at all. “My father loved him,” she managed to say. “He loved his father more than anything.”

“I do not believe that mattered to your grandfather when it came to the business of annexing Jakku and claiming it for his Empire,” Poe said softly. “I am sorry that you must face this kind of news, my lady.”

“It is what it is,” Rey murmured, standing up and tightening her robe around her waist. “Thank you for the information, Poe, but now I must prepare for the rest of the day. This is the day I say my final goodbye to my mother and father.”

“Everything is coordinated for the funeral, my lady,” Poe said as he stood. “Things will go smoothly.”

“I certainly hope so,” Rey said. “Thank you for arranging it.”

“It was an honor,” Poe said, bowing. “I will see you when you are ready to leave for the cathedral.”

Poe left the room and Rey went and laid back down on her bed, thoughts of her parents going through her head. When her father had taught her how to ride a horse. When her mother had read her a bedtime story while decked out in the crown and more jewelry than Rey had ever seen. When they'd both sat her down and explained that she would be queen one day. Every moment that she thought of brought tears to her eyes, and before she knew it, she was sobbing again. 

She missed them so much.

There was a swift knock at her door before it was opening, Elizabeth coming back into the room with Rose. Rose was carrying a tray of food, and Rey made her way over to the table so that she could eat her breakfast. Rose sat and talked idly with her while she did, but the tears continued to fall down her cheeks, and eventually, Rose leaned over and wiped them away gently.

“I know that today is going to be hard on you, my lady, but I do suggest that you not cry very hard at the funeral itself.”

“No, I won't be doing that,” Rey said, shaking her head. “The last thing I need are images of me sobbing going around the world. No, I must be composed and dignified. I can cry over them tonight when I am alone.”

“I think it's alright if a couple of tears escape you during the service,” Rose said, nodding when Rey looked up at her. “The people will understand if you do cry a little.”

Rey sucked in a deep breath and ate the last bites of her breakfast. “That may happen. But there are a time and a place to cry over them, and it is not while I am in public.”

“My lady,” came Elizabeth's voice, “are you ready to dress or would you like your hair and makeup done first?”

“Dress first,” Rey said, rising from her chair. “That way we can find out if the dress even fits or not. Did we ever come up with a secondary plan should it not?”

“No, my lady,” Elizabeth said, walking out of the closet with a long dress bag. “We just decided that we would pin the dress on you.”

“And that will be a lovely sight for the people in the cathedral and all those watching at home,” Rey said, sighing. “Do we have something that will cover that up?”

“I think I know of something that would work,” Rose said. “I'll go and get it.”

“Thank you, Rose,” Rey said, watching as Elizabeth unzipped the dress bag. “I do wish I had something formal enough to wear to this that is my own and that I do not have to wear something that was my mother's.”

“I am sorry that something was not ready for you, Your Majesty,” Elizabeth said, pulling the formal black dress from the bag. “There was just not enough time to make something appropriate for you before today.”

“I know, Elizabeth,” Rey said, walking towards the privacy screen as Elizabeth put the dress on the top of it. “I will need your help.”

“Of course, my lady,” Elizabeth said, waiting until Rey was behind the screen before stepping behind it. “Allow me to hang up your robe.”

Rey handed her robe to Elizabeth and then took off her pajamas, quickly changing her undergarments before Elizabeth came back behind the screen. Elizabeth helped Rey put the dress on and the moment that she went to zip it up, Rey could tell that it was too big for her. “It will need to be pinned.”

“I see that, my lady. Let's do that in more light.”

Rey followed Elizabeth back into the main room, and Elizabeth began to pull on the dress to see how it needed to be pinned. “I do hope that whatever it is Rose has gone to get will cover this up.”

“I will do my best to make it unnoticeable, my lady,” Elizabeth said, walking to the vanity and grabbing a cushion stuffed with pins. 

Elizabeth began to pin the dress as Rey stood there staring into the full-length mirror before her. She'd never seen this dress before she had chosen it from her mother's closet the day before, but looking at it, all she could see was her mother wearing it. Rey had worn some of the clothes her mother had worn before, but they had been clothes that her mother had worn as a teenager, clothes from her time as the Crown Princess, and they had been fitting of that station. Looking at the image before her, Rey knew that this was different than that. This was wearing the clothes of a Queen, something she was still getting used to.

Rose returned with another bag, and when she opened it, Rey realized what she had found. “How did you know where that was?”

“I asked Jannah,” Rose said, pulling out the ermine-trimmed black robe. “It will attach at your shoulders and cover your entire back, plus it will give you a small train. Wearing this is another symbol that you are now the Queen.”

“I think that there are enough symbols of that, but I suppose one more won't hurt,” Rey said, yelping when Elizabeth accidentally stuck her with a pin.

“I'm so sorry, my lady. I won't do it again.”

“It's alright, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth finished pinning the dress and then Rey sat down at the vanity and they did her hair and makeup. The circlet was attached to her hair and then Rey stood, taking a deep breath at her reflection again. When the robe was attached and her long black gloves were on, she saw what she looked like from behind and Rey felt tears spring to her eyes again. She looked every inch a Queen.

She'd known the day would come when she would need to bury her parents. She just hadn't expected the day to come so soon.

“You look wonderful, my lady,” Rose said, and Rey gave her a shaky smile. 

“Thank you, Rose.”

“Are you ready to leave for the cathedral?”

Rey stared at her reflection for a few more moments before nodding. “Yes, I am.”

**********

Rey walked into her chambers and sent all her ladies-in-waiting away, telling them that she preferred for Rose to help her out of her dress. Once they were all gone and the door to her bedroom sealed shut, Rey sighed heavily and tossed the gloves she'd been wearing towards her bed. “I cannot believe the nerve of him.”

“I'm sorry, my lady?” Rose said, confused. “What are you referring to?”

“Call me Rey, please,” she said, turning to face Rose. “Enough people call me Your Majesty and My Lady. When we are alone like this, I would like my friends to call me by my given name.”

Rose nodded after a moment. “Then I will do so, Rey.”

“Thank you.”

“I am still confused as to what you meant.”

“My grandfather,” Rey said, walking over to the sitting area and sitting down. “That speech he gave about how he will miss his beloved son and daughter-in-law beyond belief. I have never heard such bullshit in my life.”

As she sat down next to Rey, Rose was more confused than ever. “Why do you think that is bullshit? Your grandfather has always loved his youngest son. That has been evident at every visit that he has made here.”

“Yeah, he loved him alright,” Rey said, shaking her head. “He loved him enough to have him killed.”

Rose gasped. “What?”

“He told me that my mother ruling with her heart led her to a poisoned bottle of wine and an early death,” Rey said, unable to keep the anger from her voice.

“We never released how they were poisoned,” Rose said after a moment.

“No, we did not. Poe did some investigating and the shipment of wine that was laced with the poison came from Coruscant. It was a Coruscantian red blend that my parents favored. Our theory is that they chose a bottle of it for a romantic evening together after the banquet.”

Rose sat there silently for several moments. “I do not know his reasoning, but I cannot believe that it would come to the point where he would murder his own son.”

“My father was a spare, not the heir,” Rey pointed out. “The spares are always expendable as long as the heir lives. My uncle, his eldest son, is married with four sons of his own. My father was a casualty that he was willing to take.”

“I must talk to your ladies-in-waiting,” Rose said suddenly. “We need to make sure your food is taste-tested before it is served to you so that it is checked for poison.”

“That is not necessary,” Rey said seriously. “My grandfather means to manipulate me, not poison me. Poisoning me would get him nowhere.”

“While I agree with your assessment, all precautions must be taken in case he does something that we aren't expecting.”

“I suppose you are right about that,” Rey sighed. “Alright, someone will taste-test the food before I eat it.”

“Let's get you out of this dress and then I will go make the arrangements,” Rose said, standing up. “I am sure you are ready to be in more casual clothes.”

“You've got that right,” Rey said, standing up as well. “Thank you for everything today, Rose.”

“Anything for you, Rey.”

Rey stood there as Rose undid where the robe was attached, and she watched as Rose placed it back in its bag. “There is another robe like that for my coronation, correct?”

“Yes, but that one is red instead of black,” Rose said, snatching the cushion off the vanity and stepping behind Rey to remove the pins. “We will need to start work on your coronation dress soon. The design will need to be created and approved by you before it can begin to be made. That process will take several months.”

“Several months?”

“Do you not remember your mother's coronation dress?” Rose asked. “It is decorated with thousands of pearls and diamonds. These types of dresses take a while to make.”

“I haven't thought about my mother's coronation in a very long time. I was four when it occurred,” Rey said, closing her eyes and letting an image of her mother in the dress come to mind. “But yes, if it takes that long to make the dress, then things need to begin. My coronation will be in six months.”

“I will have designs submitted from some of the top Jakkuvian designers,” Rose said. “If you are willing to put me in charge of the project.”

“I am more than happy to put you in charge of that,” Rey said, feeling the dress loosen on her as the pins came out. “Trying to reorganize things and yet get everything that needs to be done accomplished has been more than a little difficult. Poe has been extraordinary in his help, but I can't ask him to do things like help design a dress.”

“Yes, Poe is very busy making sure that the country is running. Finn has been helping him as well.”

Rey smiled. “You need to tell Finn how you feel about him already.”

Rose sighed heavily. “The more you say that to me, the more I don't like it.”

“What? I'm being serious. If you're in love with him, he deserves to know that.”

“Perhaps, but as he will never feel that way for me, it is nothing more than an embarrassing moment waiting to happen, and I prefer not to have embarrassing moments like that.”

Rey chuckled. “I'm sure Paige could come up with a whole bunch of embarrassing moments you've had to share.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “I'm sure she could. Luckily for me, she's entirely too busy with presenting the coverage of this tragedy to be able to come here and share them.”

“How has the coverage on Jakku National News been? I haven't been able to see any of it.”

“The JNN coverage has been more than respectful, but I would expect nothing less with Paige leading it. You know she has a deep respect for you and your family.”

“Yes, I know,” Rey said, feeling the dress open at her back. “I am thinking of sitting down with her for my first interview as Queen. Nothing has been decided yet though, so do not say anything to her.”

“I won't, but she would be more than honored,” Rose said, walking to the vanity to put the cushion back down. “Now let's get you out of that dress.”

“I need something more casual to put on first. Something black.”

“I'll go pick something out. You go behind the screen and get the dress off.”

Rey nodded and Rose was almost to the closet when she called out to her. “Rose? Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Helping to keep me together today. I never would have made it through all of this without you.”

Rose smiled at her. “It was my pleasure, Rey. Now get out of that dress. I know you don't want to wear it a second more than you already have.”

Rey smiled and walked to the screen, slipping behind it and getting out of the dress. She held it up to her and looked in the mirror again, and she thought that she looked like she'd just played dress up in her mother's closet.

But her mother was gone and the dress now belonged to her.

Rey couldn't stop the tears from coming.

**********

Rey was growing bored of the dignitaries coming to say goodbye and that they were once again sorry for her loss. Every one of them said the same thing in slightly different words, and Rey was convinced that she'd never hear any of them ever say anything different to her that day.

“His Royal Highness Prince Ben of Tatooine,” Finn announced, and Ben stepped forward and bowed.

“Your Majesty.”

“Your Royal Highness,” Rey said, a slight smile on her face. “Thank you for coming. I do appreciate you being here.”

“It was my honor, my lady,” Ben said. “Thank you for the wonderful conversations about art that we have shared.”

The words of a different subject hit Rey and she was smiling widely before she could stop herself. “I have enjoyed these conversations as well, Your Royal Highness. It was nice to concentrate on something other than the loss of my parents for a few minutes.”

“Well, I am happy to have helped distract you in that regard,” Ben said, smiling at her. “If you wish to discuss the Shara Bey originals that I was telling you about on your next visit to Tatooine, just let me know. I think that you would appreciate them the way that I do.”

“I would like that very much and will take you up on that invitation the next time I am in Tatooine,” Rey said, looking over at Finn. “Thank you once again for coming, Your Royal Highness. Pass along my best to your grandfather.”

“I will do so,” Ben said, bowing before taking five steps backward and bowing again. 

Rey reached for the glass of wine that was sitting on the table next to the throne and took a long sip. Talking to Ben had been nice, and the man was beyond good looking, but Rey knew that he also was being nothing more than polite with her. She knew that at his age there was no doubt that he had a wife, and she didn't know why she was thinking of things like that anyway. She was only seventeen. That was entirely too young to be thinking about marriage, no matter how fragile the succession was at that moment.

Rey looked over at Finn and nodded, and Poe stepped forward. “Good afternoon, Your Grace,” she said, keeping to the formal form of address since they were in the Throne Room.

“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Poe said, bowing. “I could not help but overhear your conversation with the Tatooinian prince. Were you discussing my mother's paintings?”

“Yes, we were,” Rey said. “His Royal Highness told me that there are several Shara Bey originals that hang within the walls of the Royal Palace in Mos Eisley. He is a big fan of your mother's work.”

“I was unaware there were paintings of hers in the possession of the Skywalkers,” Poe said. “I would like to see those sometime.”

“Well, then you shall have to accompany me on my next visit to Tatooine so that you may see them.”

“I would appreciate that, my lady. May we speak in private?”

Rey nodded and stood, taking the two steps down from the throne and leading Poe into the antechamber behind the Throne Room. “What is it?”

“I have assessed the status of our army as compared to the Imperial army,” Poe said, taking a deep breath before handing over the paper in his hand. “As you can see, it is not a very good outlook.”

Rey read through the paper three times before she let herself comprehend what she was reading. “They outnumber us by fifty to one.”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Poe said, taking the paper back from her. “Therefore, allies will be needed, and those will be hard to get.”

Rey forced herself to take a deep breath. “How do we search for allies?”

“That is the job of the Privy Council should you deem it so. Regardless, they need to be made aware of what we know regarding the murder of your parents.”

Rey shook her head. “I don't even know some of the members of the Privy Council. I cannot trust them with this.”

“Then dismiss the Council and create a new one with people you trust,” Poe said simply.

“I can do that?”

“You are the Queen, my lady. You have the right to dismiss the previous monarch's Council and form one of your own.”

“Then I would like to do so,” Rey said. “I will think about who I shall like to be on it.”

“I will draw up the papers for the dissolution of the Council then,” Poe said. “I should have those ready by morning.”

“I will have my names by then,” Rey said, looking back towards the Throne Room. “I must resume my audiences.”

“Of course, my lady. Thank you for the time.”

“Thank you for everything you are doing, Poe.”

Rey walked back into the Throne Room and settled herself on the throne, nodding at Finn to begin the next audience. But as dignitary after dignitary offered condolences again before saying goodbye, Rey couldn't get her mind off the paper that Poe had presented her with.

Fifty to one. She'd known that the Imperial army would be larger than the Jakkuvian one, but she had not expected it to be that much larger.

She really needed allies.

**********

Rey read through the papers that had been delivered along with her lunch, noting all the compliments for how she had conducted herself during her parents' funeral. The more serious pages of the papers had comments on the service itself, but the fashion pages were full of more compliments for how Rey had looked on the day, and then the gossip sections were speculating on a possible marriage between Rey and a prince of Mandalore that she'd never heard of.

The speculation just made Rey laugh. She had no plans to marry any time soon, and she wanted the opportunity to fall in love with her husband first. Her parents' marriage had been arranged but it had turned into love quickly, and she wanted to emulate that with her own. She wanted to have someone she loved that she could rely upon. 

But now that she was Queen, she wasn't sure how that would be possible.

There was a knock at the door before it opened, Poe walking inside with his arms full of papers. He bowed quickly. “Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

“Good afternoon, Poe,” Rey said, motioning to the chair across from her. “Please, sit.”

Poe did so and set the papers on the table. “I have drawn up the papers for the dissolution of the Council. They will require your signature.”

“Are all of those papers them?” Rey asked. “Because there are hundreds of pages there.”

“No, my lady. The rest of these papers are other things that require your signature.”

“What kind of other things?”

“Approval of laws that had been suggested by the Council before your mother passed away,” Poe said. “You are welcome to review them and object to any that you do not feel are appropriate. Those that you do, however, require your signature so that they may become enforceable.”

Rey looked at the stack again. “Do I have time to do that?”

“Your entire afternoon is blocked off for you to attend to this,” Poe stated. “The afternoons every Tuesday and Thursday will be scheduled for this exact purpose. There will always be things to read and sign.”

Rey sighed. “I had no idea that was part of this.”

Poe looked surprised. “You didn't?”

“My mother said that I should not learn the ways of Queenship until I was at least eighteen,” Rey said softly. “I have very little idea as to what I am doing.”

“Then allow me to help guide you as best as I can,” Poe said, smiling at her. “I am more than willing to help you with everything that I know.”

“I would really appreciate that,” Rey said, pushing her plate to the side and reaching for the stack of papers. “This is going to take me hours.”

“There is time set aside if going past the dinner hour is needed. You would need to stop for dinner, however.”

Rey nodded and picked up the top page. “How long after I sign this does the Council disband?”

“It disbands immediately,” Poe explained. “But you will need to reform it within twenty-four hours. We must have a Privy Council.”

“I have come up with three names for the new Council,” Rey said. “Is that enough or do I need more?”

“The minimum number of Council members is three, so that is enough to form a new one. You can always add additional Councilmen at a later time.”

Rey nodded. “Then I will keep that in mind.”

Poe reached for a notebook and grabbed a pen from behind his ear. “Who are these people you've chosen? I need to get to work on drawing up that paperwork.”

“Lord Temmin Wexley, the Duke of Akiva,” Rey said, and Poe wrote that down. 

“Alright, Snap is one.”

Rey looked over at Poe. “Snap?”

“An old nickname from his army days,” Poe said. “He'll tell you to call him that within two minutes of meeting you properly. Guaranteed.”

Rey laughed. “I can't imagine referring to the Duke of Akiva as Snap but if that's what he wants, then that's what will happen.”

“He'll like that,” Poe said. “The only problem with Snap is that the Councilmen need to have an official role at court, and he does not have one.”

“Then I'll give him one,” Rey said, thinking about it. The only role that she knew was open was the one that her father used to do, so she decided that would be the role that Snap would get. “Master of the Treasury.”

Poe's eyes widened. “That was your father's position.”

“Yes, it was, but it is now vacant and it needs to be filled. The Treasury is an important part of how the country is run.”

Poe blinked a few times before making note of that. “Alright, I will draw up that paperwork as well. Next name?”

“Lord Finn Storm, Viscount Krownest.”

Poe smiled widely. “Finn is an excellent choice, my lady. You definitely know that you can trust him.”

“Yes, I do for sure,” Rey said. “I just hope that there will not be too many conflicts between him being Master of the Throne Room and on the Council.”

“There should be no conflicts, my lady. Meetings will just be scheduled around your audiences.”

“Excellent.”

“And the third name, my lady?”

Rey smiled. “Lord Poe Dameron, the Duke of Yavin.”

Poe's head shot up and he stared at her in shock. “Me?” he finally said. 

“Yes, you,” Rey said, nodding. “You have more than proven your worth to me over the past week, and you already knew that I trusted you. My mother trusted you as well, and that is all that I need to know to know that this is the right decision.”

“I am honored,” Poe said seriously. “Beyond honored.”

“You will be a good addition to the Council,” Rey said, turning her attention back to the paperwork in front of her. “When will the paperwork for you three be drawn up? I don't want to dissolve the Council until I can immediately appoint the three of you.”

“I can have it done in a few hours,” Poe said. “I'll make it my priority.”

“Please do so. In the meantime, I will focus on these other papers.”

“I will go start on that then,” Poe said, standing up and bowing. He was almost to the door when he turned around. “My lady? Have Rose and Finn told each other that they're in love yet?”

Rey laughed. “No. I'm half-tempted to order them to do so.”

“That might be the only way it'll happen at this point.”

“You may be right about that.”

“I will return with that paperwork as soon as it is ready,” Poe said, bowing again before leaving the room.

Rey looked at the stack of papers before her and sighed. She had a long afternoon ahead of her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A reminder that I made Jannah Finn's sister.

“Gentlemen, allow me to officially convene the first meeting of the new Privy Council,” Rey said, looking at the other three men in the room. “It is with good faith that I put my trust in you to serve the realm well.”

“It is my honor to be here,” Lord Temmin Wexley, the Duke of Akiva, said. “I was quite surprised when I received this invitation.”

“I can see why that is, Your Grace, but I believe that you will be a great addition to this Council,” Rey said. 

“Please call me Snap, Your Majesty,” he said. “I still view the Duke as my father and not me.”

Rey smiled. “Then Snap it is.”

“We need to discuss the most pressing matter at hand,” Poe said, drawing Rey's attention to them. “And then we need to get to work on it.”

“There is time to get to work on it,” Rey said. “He is playing a long game with me. He will not make his move for some time.”

“What are you talking about?” Finn asked, and Rey took a deep breath.

“When my grandfather was here for my parents' funeral, he said something to me that has drawn us to a conclusion that is quite disturbing. My grandfather mentioned that a poisoned bottle of wine was involved in my parents' deaths.”

“A poisoned bottle of wine?” Snap inquired. “I was unaware that was how they were poisoned.”

“Precisely. You were unaware because we never released that information. My grandfather should not have known that,” Rey said, shaking her head. “Poe then traced the bottle of wine and its shipment. The poisoned bottles of wine came from Coruscant.”

“Coruscant,” Finn murmured. “So you believe that your grandfather is behind the poisoning.”

“Based on all the evidence we have, it does point strongly at him,” Poe said, drawing their attention to him. “We have no evidence leading us to any other possible perpetrators. There is all the reason in the world to believe that the Emperor is behind this.”

“Why would he do this?” Finn asked.

“Because he wants to make Jakku part of his Empire,” Rey said simply. “I believe my father was supposed to talk my mother into joining voluntarily but that did not happen. My grandfather couldn't invade a country where his daughter-in-law was sovereign, so he had my parents killed so that I may ascend to the throne. I am sure that his plan now is to manipulate me into thinking that joining his Empire is the right thing to do, and if I do not give in to what he wants, I fear that the Imperial army will invade Jakku.”

Silence descended upon the room until Snap shook his head and spoke. “The Imperial army outnumbers ours greatly.”

“Fifty to one,” Poe said, and Finn's jaw dropped.

“Fifty to one!” Finn exclaimed. “How are we ever supposed to defend ourselves against an army of that size?”

“Allies,” Rey said. “We need allies. As many as we can get.”

Snap let out a long breath. “My lady, that will be very difficult. Few countries will be willing to stand against the might of the Coruscant Empire.”

“I know that there will be many who do not wish to help us,” Rey said softly. “But I firmly believe that there will be many who will want to help us as well.”

“Where do we start then?” Finn asked.

“We are going to draw up a list of countries that we believe would be willing to help us in this endeavor,” Poe said seriously. “We will present that list to the Queen and once we have her permission, we will carefully get our ambassadors to inquire if the countries are willing to help or not. There will be a price to pay, for sure, but I believe that all things can be negotiated to a point where we can pay those prices.”

“And so that is your first task,” Rey said. “I want a list of these countries by the time of our next meeting. We must know where we stand with allies before we start making plans to march on Coruscant.”

The men's eyes flew to her. “March on Coruscant, my lady?” Poe asked in disbelief. 

“I refuse to allow him to do this to anyone else,” Rey said firmly. “We not only need to prepare for an invasion here, but we also need to prepare to take care of my grandfather.”

“You wish to retaliate for him killing your parents by having him killed?” Finn asked. “My lady, I do not think this is the right idea.”

“He will not go willingly,” Rey said seriously. “And even if he is captured and taken back here to be tried for their murder, he would be found guilty and put to death. What difference does it make if his death is in Coruscant City or Niima? The result is that he will be dead.”

“Her Majesty makes a good point,” Snap said. “If we capture him and bring him here for a trial, there may be enough evidence to condemn him to death.”

“There may be things in Coruscant City that would implicate him as well,” Finn murmured. “Those could be used as evidence in a trial, and you're right, Snap. It would condemn him to death.”

“Let us work on finding some allies before we talk about marching on Coruscant,” Poe said. “That is the most pressing matter.”

“Thank you, Poe,” Rey said, picking up the paper in front of her. “Now, let us progress to the next item on the agenda for today's meeting.”

**********

Rey was sitting on the silver throne in the Throne Room, waiting for someone or something to happen so she wouldn't be so bored, when Finn came up to her. “Your Majesty, your next two audiences are ready.”

“Thank you, Lord Storm. Please invite my first guest forward.”

Finn turned and motioned for his sister to step forward with a smile. “Lady Jannah Storm, Your Majesty.”

Jannah smiled nervously as she stepped forward and curtsied. “Your Majesty. How may I be of service?”

“Lady Storm, I have noticed over the last couple of years the great care that you put into being one of my mother's ladies-in-waiting,” Rey said. “She was very fond of you.”

“I was fond of her as well,” Jannah said, taking a deep breath. “I very much enjoyed my role as one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting and I am sad that I must now return home.”

“Return home?” Rey inquired. “Why would you be returning home?”

“I have no one to serve now, my lady. And you have a full complement of ladies-in-waiting.”

“Yes, I do,” Rey confirmed. “But I do not have a senior lady-in-waiting. I need someone who knows how to serve a Queen and can teach the rest of my ladies-in-waiting how to do so. There have been a few too many instances of some still calling me Your Royal Highness.”

Jannah let out a small laugh before abruptly stopping it. “My apologies, my lady. I never should have laughed at that.”

“Oh, Lady Storm, you are fine,” Rey said. “Anyway, to my point, I would like to have you be my senior lady-in-waiting.”

Jannah's eyes widened. “Excuse me, my lady?”

Rey smiled. “I am asking you to stay at court and become my senior lady-in-waiting, Lady Storm. It is up to you whether or not you accept.”

Jannah's eyes flicked over to her brother, and when she saw him nod, she broke out into a smile. “It would be my honor to serve you, Your Majesty. I accept.”

“Wonderful,” Rey said, smiling at her. “I will speak to you later about the details of your new role.”

“Of course, my lady,” Jannah said, recognizing that the audience was over. She dipped into a deep curtsy. “I shall look forward to that conversation.”

“Have a good afternoon, Lady Storm.”

Jannah curtsied again and then walked away. When she was gone, Rey turned to Finn and nodded, so he waved her next guest forward. “Lady Rose Tico, Your Majesty.”

Rose stepped forward and gave Rey a deep curtsy. “Good afternoon, Your Majesty.”

“Lady Tico, it is wonderful to see that you have recovered from your illness. I am glad that it was only short-term.”

“Yes, as am I,” Rose said, biting back a laugh because she'd already had that conversation with Rey that morning. “How may I be of service, my lady?”

“Lady Tico, I wish to offer you a new position within the Royal Household,” Rey said, and she could tell that she'd shocked Rose. “You have done your job admirably and that is why I know that this is the right position for you to have now.”

Rose stared at her with wide eyes. “I do not know what position there is for me to take, my lady. All positions within the Royal Household are full.”

“All but one,” Rey said. “Lady Kalonia has decided to return to her family's home and live a more peaceful life. This opens up the position of Head of the Queen's Household and I feel that you are best suited to take on that role.”

Rose's eyes somehow got wider. “My lady, I don't know what to say.”

“Say yes,” Rey replied. “I know that you are more than capable of this job.”

“Yes, of course, my lady,” Rose said, smiling at her. “I am more than happy to take on this new role. I am just a bit surprised.”

“I can understand that, but I wished to make this formal instead of informal,” Rey said. “Please go speak with Lady Storm about organizing the ladies-in-waiting in a more proper fashion. I wish to keep Elizabeth for helping me dress, but the others can be switched around based on what the two of you think is best.”

“I will go speak with her now,” Rose said, dropping into a deep curtsy. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for such kindness.”

“It is my honor, Lady Tico,” Rey said, smiling at her. “Oh, and one more thing.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“Tell him already. Do not make me order you to do so.”

Rose sighed heavily and curtsied again. “As you wish, my lady.”

Rose turned and walked away, and Rey just shook her head. Rose wasn't going to say a thing to Finn and she knew it. “Lord Storm,” she asked. “Are there any more audiences at the moment?”

“The Duke of Yavin has requested one, but I do not see him,” Finn said, turning to survey the gathered courtiers. “Oh, wait, there he is.”

Finn waved towards him and Poe came forward, bowing before Rey. “Your Majesty.”

“Your Grace,” Rey said. “I hope the day finds you well.”

“It does, my lady. The court has received a request that I find intriguing and would like to know Your Majesty's opinion on it and how to proceed.”

“Then let us hear this request,” Rey said.

“There is a relatively unknown filmmaker in Kijimi by the name of Zorii Bliss. She specializes in documentaries and she has submitted a request to follow Your Majesty's first year of Queenship for a documentary that can be shown to the entire world.”

“A documentary about me?” Rey asked, surprised. “I must admit that I was not expecting to hear that.”

“I have seen a couple of short documentaries that Miss Bliss has made and she is very talented at telling the story of her subject without the film trying to force its message down your throat, for lack of more elegant words,” Poe said. “I do feel that she would make an excellent film should Your Majesty agree to this.”

“There are some things that are going on that I would not like to have in this documentary,” Rey said seriously. “So if I agree to this, I will be placing you in charge of making sure those things are not filmed.”

“A very reasonable request, my lady. I can have that arranged.”

“What do you think that this documentary could show the world?” Rey asked honestly. “Because I do not know what there is to show.”

“I believe that the documentary can show that Jakku is strong despite there currently being no line of succession,” Poe replied. “It will show the world that the realm is in good hands.”

Rey thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “Alright. I give my permission for this documentary to be made. When Miss Bliss arrives here, please bring her to me so that I may speak with her before she begins filming.”

“I will do so, Your Majesty,” Poe said, bowing. “Thank you for your time.”

“You're welcome, Your Grace,” Rey responded.

Poe walked away and Rey turned to Finn. “Are there any more audiences now, Lord Storm?”

“Not at the moment, Your Majesty, but the time for audiences is not over yet so you must stay,” Finn said, looking over at the clock. “There is another hour and forty-five minutes until the scheduled time is over.”

Rey sighed heavily. “I understand. While I am sitting here, you and I will have a conversation about Lady Tico.”

“There is nothing to discuss, Your Majesty,” Finn said, and Rey could tell he was slightly annoyed.

“Do not make me order you to tell her how you feel, Lord Storm. She deserves to know that you love her.”

“Perhaps, but she will never love me the way that I want her to, so therefore it is not worth the heartbreak of telling her the truth.”

“You assume too much, Lord Storm,” Rey said firmly. “You have no idea what Lady Tico's feelings on the subject are and unless you broach it with her, you never will.”

“If I say that I will consider it further, my lady, may we please talk about something else?” Finn asked, and Rey could tell he was really annoyed now.

Rey looked up as a courtier approached and sighed. “Yes, but only because it looks as though I'm about to have another audience.”

Finn looked up, saw the man stand there, and did his duty. “The Duke of Endor, Your Majesty.”

Rey settled back against the throne and began to talk to the Duke about crop preservation in the southern part of the country, a subject that she knew absolutely nothing about, all the while thinking that there had to be some way to get Finn and Rose to confess their feelings to each other.

**********

“Miss Bliss,” Rey said, taking in the woman in front of her. “I must say, I was quite surprised to learn that you wanted to film a documentary about me.”

“I have great respect for the Royal House of Jakku, my lady,” Zorii said. “My request was initially going to be to follow your mother around for a year, but the unfortunate situation of her passing occurred. I then shifted my focus to you. I was not sure if you would agree, but I figured it was worth a chance. I am happy that you did.”

“Why does a woman from Kijimi have such great respect for my family?” Rey asked. 

“My mother was from Jakku,” Zorii explained. “It was instilled in me since I was a child that your family was to be held in the highest regard.”

“I see,” Rey murmured. “I am very curious to find out what this documentary is going to be like. The one I watched about the spice runners of Kijimi was very interesting.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Zorii said. “That one is my favorite. And I will be happy to speak with you at any time about how things are going with the documentary.”

“I may take you up on that,” Rey said, looking around. “Where is the rest of your crew?”

“No crew, my lady, only me.”

Rey gave her a skeptical look. “You are going to film this all on your own?”

“Yes, my lady. It is how I film all of my documentaries. I find a story within the broader story and focus on that. I am sure there is a lesser-known part of the story of your first year that I will find and highlight.”

“Well, I look forward to finding out what that is,” Rey said, looking over at Poe. “Please go with the Duke of Yavin and speak with him about how things are going to work.”

Zorii nodded and curtsied. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Enjoy your stay in Jakku, Miss Bliss.”

Poe motioned for Zorii to follow him, and he led her from the Throne Room and to his office. “Did you receive the list of restrictions that the Queen has asked for, Miss Bliss?”

“Yes, and I hope you realize I'm going to fight you on them,” Zorii said, sitting down when Poe motioned for her to do so. “You are letting me film absolutely nothing.”

“The running of the government is full of sensitive information that the Queen does not wish to have filmed,” Poe said seriously. “There are plenty of other things for you to film.”

“What? Banquets and balls?” Zorii said, shaking her head. “That doesn't give me a story for the film.”

“You said in the Throne Room that you would find a story. And so you will find a story from what you are allowed to film.”

Zorii groaned in frustration and stood. “I am going back to my room and there I will try to decide if I even want to do this.”

“It will be a good move for your career if you do this,” Poe pointed out. “Restrictions or not.”

“I never get a damn about my career when I'm passionate about a film,” Zorii said, walking out of the room.

Poe sighed heavily and ran his hands over his face. He hoped that wouldn't become a problem.

**********

Rey sat in the Council's meeting room and looked through the list of potential allies that had been drawn up. “Where is Alderaan on this list?”

“Alderaan is not on the list, my lady,” Snap said.

“And why not?” 

“Alderaan is a peaceful nation, Your Majesty,” Snap replied. “They do not engage in conflicts unless they are attacked and need to defend themselves. They would be of no help in this endeavor.”

“I see,” Rey said, continuing to look over the list. “And why is the Crown Prince of Ryloth's name written underneath Ryloth on this list?”

“We thought that if it became necessary in negotiations with Ryloth, we could offer to have you marry their Crown Prince and unite the two countries together,” Finn said, and Rey folded the paper down to look at her Councilmen.

“Jacen Syndulla is 35-years-old,” Rey said seriously. “There is no way I would agree to that, even if it costs us the alliance with Ryloth. Surely common ground with Queen Hera can be found without it coming to that.”

“My lady,” Poe said, “it may come to be something that is necessary.”

“Absolutely not,” Rey declared. “I will not marry someone just for their country's army. There must be other ways to accomplish getting their allegiance to our cause.”

Rey picked up the list again and continued to read through it. “Lothal could be interesting. King Ezra and Queen Sabine were very kind to me when they were here for my parents' funeral.”

“We are not confident in Lothal joining our cause,” Poe said. “They are still recovering from their war with Dantooine.”

Rey sighed heavily. “Someone is going to have to give me a list of all the recent conflicts because I have no idea what any of them are. I did not know that Lothal had just been at war with Dantooine. Does this mean Dantooine is also likely not to help?”

“Most likely,” Poe said. “But we included both of them on the list anyway.”

“What of Chandrila?” Rey asked. “No one from the House of Mothma attended my parents' funeral. I only received a message from Queen Mon stating that she was sorry she could not attend.”

“The Queen of Chandrila is now 81-years-old, Your Majesty. Her heirs were still returning from their battle against the Kingdom of Dagobah. There was no one from the House of Mothma to travel here for the funeral,” Finn explained. “Do not view that as a slight against you or your parents.”

Rey set the list down. “Where is Tatooine on this list?”

“Tatooine is not on the list, my lady,” Finn said.

“And why is that?”

“The price that the King of Tatooine would want for his support would be too high for us to meet,” Poe explained. “We are already going to struggle to meet the prices of some of these nations should they say yes. We decided to leave Tatooine off unless we need them as a last resort.”

“I see,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “Alright. Have our ambassadors begin their inquiries. Let me know as soon as all have been heard from. You are all dismissed.”

Rey rose and left the room, ignoring the camera on Zorii's shoulder as she walked by. Finn and Snap did the same, and when Poe emerged from the room, Zorii called out to him in frustration. “Am I ever going to get to film anything at all? You have kept me out of every meeting, every Throne Room audience, everything. I can't tell a story of how great a Queen she is going to be if I'm not allowed to film her being a Queen. I might as well go back to Kijimi and put this documentary together with stock footage.”

Poe adjusted the papers in his arms. “There are things going on that we do not want to be filmed.”

“I signed an oath not to tell anyone what I see, hear, or film here. I work alone so there is no one else to see this footage but me. After I'm done filming this year with her, it will take at least another year for the film to be completed and ready to screen. Are you seriously telling me that something is going on that still needs to be kept secret in two years?” Zorii asked.

“You make a good point, but this is not up to me,” Poe said, sighing. “I will speak with the Queen and see what she thinks, but if she wants things to remain the same, then they are going to remain the same.”

“Then this will be the most boring documentary in the history of the world,” Zorii said, turning around and stalking off.

Poe made his way to the Queen's office, requesting permission to come inside. When permission was granted, he entered the office and made sure that the door was shut behind him. “Your Majesty, I hate to interrupt, but I need to speak to you about the documentary.”

“Oh? How is that going?”

“Miss Bliss is very frustrated over the fact that we're not letting her film anything of importance,” Poe said. 

“I don't want this information getting out,” Rey said firmly.

“I agree. Things are too delicate to risk them getting out. But Miss Bliss brought up an interesting point.”

Rey turned around to look at him. “And what is that, Poe?”

“She said that she has signed the oath and that she works alone. No one sees the footage she gets other than her. She also pointed out that she is filming for a year and then the film will take another year to put together before it is ready to be screened,” Poe said. “Is the information we're hiding from her going to still need to be secret in two years?”

Rey sat there and thought about it before sighing heavily. “She gets to start filming my audiences in the Throne Room, and she will film the next Privy Council session.”

“We should be giving you a report on the results of the inquiries in that session,” Poe said. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Yes, I am,” Rey said with conviction, suddenly wondering why she hadn't let Zorii film these things from the start. “If my grandfather is going to destroy Jakku and kill me, then I'm going to leave behind evidence that I did everything in my power to fight it.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I will go tell Miss Bliss what you have said.”

“Thank you, Poe,” Rey said, and Poe left the office. 

Letting Zorii film the audiences was one thing. Most of them were harmless. But letting Zorii film the Privy Council meeting was another thing entirely.

He just hoped that their trust in Zorii was not misguided.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is done now, so you're getting a chapter every other day until it's all up.

When the next Council meeting occurred a week later, Rey was anticipating news of many new allies in the fight against her grandfather.

What she got was confirmation that every nation approached had turned them down.

With Zorii now in the room filming the session, Rey knew that she needed to keep her emotions in check and proceed with as much calm as possible even though she'd rather be screaming in frustration. “Is there anyone else that we can approach for help? Someone with enough men that it would at least make our odds against the Imperial army a little less steep?” she asked.

“Our last available option is Tatooine, my lady,” Poe said. “But we fear that the price for their help has gone up even more if the word has spread that we are trying to make alliances.”

“I need someone to be an ally in this,” Rey said, her frustration creeping into her voice. “I need someone to help me take out my grandfather.”

Poe noticed the one of Zorii's eyes that he could see widen, and he prayed again that they had not wrongly put their trust in her. “I understand Your Majesty's frustration, but we also need to not bankrupt the country in this pursuit.”

“Raising taxes is always a possibility,” Snap began but Rey shook her head.

“No. I will not raise taxes on my people unless the situation is dire.”

“Your Majesty, there is the thought that we could abandon the march into Coruscant and instead focus on a possible invasion by the Imperial army here,” Finn said. “We can enforce mandatory service for all men between a certain age to build up our number of soldiers.”

“I don't want to do that either,” Rey said forcefully. “Repelling an invasion here would, of course, be a good thing, but that does not take care of my grandfather, and it does not stop him from poisoning another monarch as he did to my parents.”

Poe saw the look in Zorii's eye and he could tell that she suddenly had a story for her film. “I understand your frustrations, my lady. I do,” Poe started, but Rey cut him off.

“Unless your parents were poisoned by your grandfather forcing you to take on a job you are completely unprepared for at the age of seventeen, then you cannot possibly understand my frustrations, Your Grace,” Rey spit out. “He took everything away from me. Everything.”

The room fell silent for a few moments and then Finn spoke. “My lady,” he said softly, “we are only trying to help.”

“I know you are,” Rey said, her voice tired. “I just want him to pay for what he's done.”

“And he will,” Finn said. “We will find some other way.”

Rey sat there with her eyes closed for a minute before opening them with a new purpose. “You are to arrange an in-person meeting with the King of Tatooine.”

“Your Majesty,” Poe started, but Rey shook her head. 

“I am going to Tatooine and requesting help from their King in person,” Rey said firmly. “He may turn me down or he may offer a price too high, but we need help from Tatooine to do this.”

“And what if King Anakin does not wish to meet with you?” Snap asked.

Rey took a couple of deep breaths. “Then we will figure out a way to poison my grandfather just as he poisoned my parents. You are dismissed.”

Rey stood and walked out of the room, followed by Finn and Snap, but Poe stayed behind, watching as Zorii brought the camera down and stopped the recording. “Do you understand now why you were being kept from filming things?”

“Yes,” Zorii said, shaking her head. “But if Palpatine poisoned her parents, then you definitely need me to share this story. The world must know what happened.”

“This absolutely cannot get out,” Poe said seriously. “So there is not to be a word of it outside of this room.”

“I am aware of that, Your Grace,” Zorii said, shaking her head. “You always talk to me like I'm an idiot. I'm not. I'm highly intelligent. Definitely intelligent enough to know that this is a very delicate situation that needs to be handled carefully. But if you want me to make a damn good documentary about it, then I'm going to need some backstory.”

“Such as?”

“Such as how did you figure out it was Palpatine? What happened that morning when you found the Queen and Prince dead? Things like that. I need the whole story.”

Poe sighed heavily. “I suppose you are right.”

“I know I'm right,” Zorii said. “I'm the one whose specialty this is. I know what I'm doing here with the narrative better than you do.”

Poe let out a chuckle. “You're definitely right about that. Alright. You will join me for dinner tonight and I will tell you everything we know, Miss Bliss.”

Zorii rolled her eyes. “My name is Zorii. Don't call me Miss Bliss again.”

“I don't think you understand where you are.”

“I don't think you understand that I'm a commoner. I don't need to be addressed in such a formal way,” Zorii said, heading for the door. “I'm going to go see how the footage turned out. Send a message letting me know where to go for dinner. I'll just be in my room for the rest of the afternoon.”

Zorii walked out the door and Poe took a deep breath, praying yet again that they'd put their faith in the right person.

**********

After learning that her request for an in-person meeting with the King of Tatooine was granted, Rey had the members of her court that needed to travel with her prepare for the journey. Poe was surprised when Rey asked Zorii to accompany them but soon realized that she needed to include her plea for help to the Tatooinian king as part of the documentary so that if they failed and Palpatine was able to take over Jakku and kill Rey, evidence would be there that showed she'd tried everything and no one helped her. Rey knew that her one-on-one meeting with King Anakin would not be filmed, but she had assurances from the Tatooinian court that they had no problem with most of her visit there being recorded for the documentary.

Jakku and Tatooine were neighboring countries so the journey between Niima and Mos Eisley was not long, and after two days, the Jakkuvian caravan was arriving at the Royal Palace where the Skywalkers resided. When Rey disembarked from the Queen's Carriage, she looked around and smiled at the sight of her surroundings. Mos Eisley was beautiful, and the grounds of the Royal Palace even more so.

“Your Majesty.”

Rey turned her attention to the man and woman who were standing there waiting for her, and she realized that while she had memorized who the members of the Skywalkers were, she now wished that there had been photos of them as well. “Hello,” she offered, hoping that they would introduce themselves.

The man bowed and the woman curtsied, so Rey knew that they were not the King and Queen, and then, to her immense relief, an attendant with them spoke. “Your Majesty, may I present Their Royal Highnesses the Crown Prince and Princess.”

She knew who they were now. Luke Skywalker, Crown Prince of Tatooine. 54-years-old. Mara Jade Skywalker, Crown Princess of Tatooine. 53-years-old. Born a Princess of Dantooine. They were childless.

“Your Royal Highnesses,” Rey said. “It is an honor to meet you. Thank you for welcoming us.”

“The honor is ours, my lady,” Luke said, smiling at her. “Let us escort you inside where you can meet the other members of our family.”

“I would like that,” Rey said, and she looked at Poe. He quickly motioned for Zorii to follow them, and then Rey began to walk with Luke and Mara.

They talked idly about the journey to Mos Eisley while Zorii filmed them from behind, and when they entered the palace, Luke directed them up a large staircase. “My mother is in the Grand Mesra Drawing Room,” Luke said. “We shall see if my father is done with his duties in time to join us or if he will be running a little bit late.”

“I cannot wait to meet them,” Rey said. “My parents always spoke highly of the King and Queen.”

“We are so sorry about what happened with your parents,” Mara said. “And I'm sorry that we were not able to travel and pay our respects. I do hope that Ben was received well in our stead.”

“Yes, he was,” Rey said. “We had several conversations about art while he was there, and I welcomed the distraction.”

“I'm sure that Ben enjoyed your collection of paintings. He's always wandering the halls here looking for ones he has missed in the past or studying his favorites. He takes art very seriously,” Luke said.

“Yes, he mentioned that. I don't know that I am quite as serious about it as he is, but I take a keen interest in art as well.”

They approached a door with guards stationed outside of it, and the guards immediately moved to open it. Luke led Rey inside, smiling when he heard her gasp. “Welcome to the Grand Mesra Drawing Room.”

Rey's eyes danced over the paintings that hung everywhere, so many of them that it nearly blocked out the walls. She tore her attention away from the paintings when she heard someone stand, and saw an elderly woman coming towards them. “Welcome to Tatooine,” the woman said. 

“My lady, I would like you to meet my mother, the Queen Consort,” Luke said. 

Rey immediately went through what she knew about her in her head. Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker, Queen Consort of Tatooine. 81-years-old. Born a Princess of Naboo.

“Mother,” Luke continued, “this is Rey, the Queen Regnant of Jakku.”

“Oh Rey, you are beautiful,” Padmé said as she came up to them. “I saw the photos, of course, but in person, you are absolutely stunning.”

Rey blushed as Luke and Mara laughed. “I thought that, Mother, but I was polite enough not to say it,” Mara said, making Padmé laugh. 

“Sometimes, Mara, you must say what is on your mind, consequences be damned,” Padmé said, reaching out to link her arm together with Rey's. “Let's sit down and get to know one another better while we wait for Ani.”

Rey sat down on a gorgeous antique sofa next to Padmé and talked with Luke, Mara, and her for nearly an hour before the doors opened again and another woman came into the room. “Mother, I've been looking everywhere for you.”

“I have been right here with the Queen of Jakku, Leia. Do be respectful.”

Leia stopped where she was and immediately dipped into a deep curtsy. “My apologies, Your Majesty. I did not know you were here.”

“It is fine,” Rey said, smiling at her. 

Padmé had called her Leia, which meant that this was Leia Skywalker Solo, Princess of Tatooine and Duchess of Corellia. 54-years-old like her twin brother, she was married to Lord Han Solo, Duke of Corellia, 67-year-old Commander-in-Chief of the Tatooinian army. The two were the parents of Ben, and Rey could see traces of him in Leia's face as she came closer. “It is nice to meet you, Your Royal Highness.”

“Oh, please, call me Leia,” she said, laughing when Luke shook his head. “What? I don't have to play by Father's rules.”

“Oh yes, Leia, you do,” came a man's voice and everyone stood so Rey did as well. The elderly man came closer and when he reached them, Luke bowed and Leia and Mara curtsied, but Padmé just walked up to him and kissed him.

“Ani, I'd like you to meet Rey, the Queen of Jakku,” Padmé said, bringing him over to her. “She is the one who has come here to speak to you. Rey, this is my husband Anakin.” 

Anakin Skywalker, King of Tatooine. 76-years-old, he had been King since he was twenty, making him Tatooine's longest-serving monarch. Rey needed to make an incredibly good impression on him if she was going to win his support.

“Your Majesty, it is wonderful to meet you,” Rey said, trying to be as respectful as possible. 

Anakin smiled at her. “Rey, we are equals. There is no need for any of that. Call me Anakin.”

“Anakin, then,” Rey said, and she tried to hide the fact that her hands were starting to tremble. 

Oh, she actually had to do this now. This wasn't just thinking about it anymore. This would be the day when Rey would jump into the fire when she wasn't sure she wouldn't get burned.

“How about we talk alone, Rey?” Anakin said, smiling at her. “I am sure that there are other things that everyone else should be doing.”

“Of course, Ani,” Padmé said, kissing him softly before shooing everyone away. 

Rey looked over at where Zorii was still filming them. “You too, Miss Bliss.”

Zorii turned the camera off and nodded, following everyone else out of the room. Once it was cleared, Anakin motioned to the sitting area. “Shall we sit down?”

Rey sat back down on the sofa while Anakin took one of the chairs, and they talked back and forth about how the beginning of Rey's reign was going and how Anakin understood her uncertainty on things because he had felt the same way when he'd become King so young. Rey found him to be very kind, which lived up to everything she had heard about him before their journey to Mos Eisley, but eventually, they reached the point in the conversation that Rey knew she had to get right.

“I must say, Rey, most monarchs don't request in-person meetings with me,” Anakin said. “So why have you done so?”

Rey took a deep breath. “I have come to request the help of your army in a march on Coruscant. I mean to overthrow and kill the Emperor.”

Anakin sat there for a moment. “Why would you want to overthrow and kill your grandfather?”

“Because he is the man who poisoned my parents,” Rey said, her voice stronger than she'd been expecting it to be. She went on to explain the whole story to him, stressing that she was afraid that Jakku was not the only realm that he would do that with. 

Anakin studied her when she was done. “Rey, I agree with you about your grandfather. The way he just takes over other sovereign nations and then strips them of their autonomy makes me so very angry. If he has resorted to poisoning ruling monarchs in order to manipulate their successors into bending to his will, then he needs to be stopped at all costs.”

Rey felt relief flow through her. “So then are you willing to help me in my cause? To rid the world of him once and for all?”

“I would be willing to commit Tatooine's army to your cause,” Anakin said. “For a price, of course.”

Rey knew that if Anakin agreed they would reach this point, and now she was going to find out if this would bankrupt her country. “How much money are you wanting?”

“Money? I can see how you would think that would be the price I'm talking about,” Anakin said, standing up and going to look out the window. “I understand that you have met my grandson Ben.”

“Yes, I have,” Rey said, somewhat confused as to what that had to do with anything.

“Ben is the future of the Skywalker dynasty,” Anakin said. “My son and his wife were unable to have a child, so the weight of responsibilities has fallen on his shoulders. And I worry about him and his ability to handle them. He tends to keep to himself and not accept counsel except when on a battlefield and strategy is needed, and while that makes him a great warrior, that will not make him a great king.

“I have been trying to teach him the important things to know about Kingship, the things that my father never got a chance to teach me. He has grown in that respect, understands more of what he will need to do than he used to, but I still worry for him. And part of my worry is the fact that he remains unmarried at 27-years-old.”

“I am sure that he will marry soon,” Rey said, and Anakin turned around to face her. 

“Our countries neighbor each other, and for both nations, the line of succession is unbelievably fragile. The best way for both of our realms to survive is to unite the countries together for generations to come.”

“I don't understand what you mean, Anakin.”

“My price for helping you march on Coruscant is your hand in marriage for my grandson.”

Rey sat there until she had to gasp in a deep breath, only realizing then that she'd stopped breathing. She needed Tatooine's help. She needed Tatooine's help so badly. But the price...the price was something she had sworn that she would not do. She would not marry someone just to acquire their country's army.

But she needed Tatooine's help.

“I am very young, Anakin,” Rey said. “Marriage is the last thing on my mind.”

“You are past your majority, so marriage is something that can happen.” Anakin came and sat back down, looking at Rey with tender eyes. “That is the way that this has to go, Rey. I help you and you help me in return.”

“I must admit, Anakin, I was not expecting this.”

“I would be surprised if you had been.”

“I need some time to think this over,” Rey said after a few moments. “Will you allow me that?”

“Of course, Rey,” Anakin said, smiling at her. “And I will understand if you turn me down. But I will also be terribly worried for your safety if you do.”

Rey nodded and Anakin stood up, so she did as well. “Thank you, Anakin, for hearing me out.”

“Of course, my dear,” Anakin said, walking towards the door. “Shall we go see if lunch is ready? I would think you are hungry after such a long journey here.”

Rey followed after him. “I am a bit hungry, yes.”

“Then let us go eat,” Anakin said, pausing at the doors. “Take all the time you need, Rey, but I need an answer before you leave to return to Niima.”

Rey nodded and Anakin called out for the doors to be opened. As she followed him further into the palace, she felt her heart racing so fast that she thought she might collapse.

Either marry Ben and get Tatooine's help or not marry Ben and be left all alone with absolutely no allies.

Rey already knew her decision.

She didn't have a choice.

**********

Ben walked into his grandfather's study and found him reading through papers at his desk. “You wished to see me, Grandfather?”

“Ben, sit down,” Anakin said, motioning to the guards to close the door. “We need to talk about something.”

“Is this another lesson on Kingship?” Ben asked. “Because you said we weren't going to have another for a while.”

“No, this is not another lesson on Kingship,” Anakin said, turning his chair around to face him.

“Is this about the war that Jakku wants to wage then?” Ben asked. “Are we going to participate in that?”

“We will be if the Queen of Jakku agrees to my terms for our participation. She is taking time to think about it.”

“How much money have you asked of her? Or will you not tell me?”

“I have not asked her for money,” Anakin said, knowing that Ben was about to get very, very angry. “I have given her different terms.”

“And what terms are these?”

“For Tatooine to participate in this war, the Queen of Jakku must give herself to you and unite our kingdoms through your marriage.”

Ben leaped to his feet. “What?!”

“You cannot be that surprised. The line of succession for both countries is extremely fragile. I have only you and Luke and she has no one. With your marriage, your children would be rulers of both realms.”

Ben shook his head vehemently. “No. Absolutely not. I will not marry a child.”

“She is past her majority, Ben. She is not a child.”

“She is practically still a child she's so young,” Ben said, running his hands over his face.

“This so-called child is a Queen Regnant, Ben. She is a good match for you and the Skywalker dynasty.” Anakin watched as Ben began to pace back and forth. “There is no need to be so angry.”

“You told me I could choose my wife just as Luke did!” Ben practically yelled. “I could choose so long as it was someone from one of the royal houses and not a member of the nobility like my father is! I am holding you to that!”

“I told you all of that when I expected you to marry at twenty-one or twenty-two,” Anakin said seriously. “You have met many princesses of royal houses that would have made excellent queens, Ben, and you have chosen none of them. You are 27-years-old and still unmarried, and I am not going to let that stand any longer. If the Queen of Jakku turns down my deal, then I will be picking a bride for you within a month.”

Ben started sucking in deep breaths. “You're taking my freedom of choice away.”

“I am doing what is best for the realm I serve with my life,” Anakin said firmly. “I need you married, Ben. I need you to produce heirs. And Jakku needs that as well.”

“Why do you care so much about Jakku? What happens there is no consequence to what happens here.”

“There are things that you do not know and will only be told if necessary,” Anakin said. “And those things are why I care about what happens in Jakku. But if Jakku falls, Ben, then Tatooine is next. You have to realize that.”

“I don't want to do this.”

“You returned from Jakku talking about the wonderful conversations that you had with her.”

“There is a massive difference between a few conversations and marriage.”

Anakin shook his head. “Ben, if Rey agrees to this, you will be marrying her as quickly as possible and that is an order.”

Ben was so furious that he was practically vibrating from the anger he was holding inside. But he had entirely too much respect for his grandfather to disobey him. “As you wish, my lord. If she agrees, I will marry her.”

“This is for the best, Ben,” Anakin said, turning back to his desk. “You will see that soon enough. You are dismissed.”

Ben left the study, made his way to his chambers, dismissed everyone that was inside them, looked around for something he didn't care about, and then smashed it as hard as he could against the wall. The shattered remains of the vase dropped to the floor and he looked down at the blood dripping from his hand, opening his palm to see a deep gash there. Sighing heavily, he found something to wrap it in and then headed towards the court doctor's office. 

He may have had a few nice conversations with her before, but he did not want to marry the Queen of Jakku.

He hoped that he wouldn't have to.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know how yesterday I said every other day? let's just go with every day until it's finished.

Rey had barely retired for the night to the suite of rooms that she had been given to stay in when there was a knock at the door. Rose was in the room with her to help her undress, and she went to the door and asked who it was. When she heard the response, she turned to Rey. “It's Poe.”

“Let him in,” Rey said, sitting down in a chair and waiting for him to join her. “I am very tired, so I hope this goes quickly.”

“I should not be keeping you long, Your Majesty,” Poe said, and he sat down across from Rey when she motioned for him to do so. “We have been unable to be alone all day so I have not had a chance to ask how much the price for Tatooine's help is.”

Rey let out a shuddering breath and reached up to rub at her temples. She'd had a terrible headache ever since hearing what it was that Anakin wanted from her. 

“Snap had some ideas about what we could do as far as taxes so long as the price is around a certain amount that will keep us from bankrupting the country,” Poe continued, and Rey shook her head. 

“He doesn't want money, Poe.”

Poe gave her a confused look. “Then what is his price?”

Rey stood up and walked over to the window, staring out it without saying a word. “My lady?” Poe tried again. “What is the King's price?”

Rey still did not say anything, so Rose walked up behind her and placed a hand on Rey's shoulder. “Rey. Tell us.”

“The King agrees that my grandfather must be stopped,” Rey said quietly. “And his price for helping us overthrow and kill him is to unite our two kingdoms. By the marriage between myself and his grandson, the children we produce would strengthen the line of succession for both nations, Jakku and Tatooine would be intertwined for generations, and Tatooine will help us march on Coruscant.”

Poe and Rose were stunned into silence, and Rey turned away from the window. “I have no choice.”

“Rey, you always have a choice,” Rose started, but Rey shook her head. 

“Tatooine is our last chance at help. No one else is going to help us at all. And I need that help, Rose. I need it more than I need my freedom of choice when it comes to who I should marry.”

Poe stood and made his way over to them. “My lady.”

“Rey. My name is Rey and when we are in private like this, I order you to use it,” Rey snapped. “I am so sick of all this Your Majesty and My Lady and Council meetings and audiences and everything. I want my life as a princess back. I want it back more than anything.”

Rose reached out and pulled Rey into a hug, and Rey buried her head in Rose's neck and began to cry. Rose and Poe stared at each other helplessly as Rey sobbed, and eventually, Poe shook his head. “Rey,” he said, “you don't have to do this. There are other ways.”

Rey pulled herself away from Rose and looked at Poe with eye makeup running down her face. “What other ways, Poe? You know as well as I do that attempting to poison him isn't going to work. He's the most heavily protected monarch in the world. Getting something poisoned to him is next to impossible. Our only hope of exacting revenge for what he has done to not only my family but also to Jakku is to march into Coruscant and kill him. If we try to do that ourselves, they will slaughter us and then invade Jakku and take it without anyone there to defend it.”

“Rey,” Rose started, but Rey shook her head. 

“With the Tatooinian army included, they no longer outnumber us fifty to one. They only outnumber us thirty-seven to one. That is a big difference.”

“But is it worth giving up your freedom of choice?” Rose asked. “You have talked since you were a child about finding a man and falling in love the way your parents were. You would be giving that up.”

“My parents' marriage was arranged and it turned into love,” Rey said softly. “Perhaps I will be lucky and this one will as well. The prince was kind to me when he was in Jakku for my parents' funeral. Hopefully, he will remain kind like that to me in the years to come.”

“When does the King want an answer by?” Poe asked.

“Before we leave to return to Niima.”

“That is in a week,” Poe said. “Plenty of time to think this through before you agree to it.”

“What do you think I've been doing all day, Poe?” Rey asked, taking a deep breath. “This is the only way.”

“If you're certain, Rey,” Rose said softly.

“I'm certain,” Rey said, tears slipping down her face again. “I have no other choice. I am informing the King at breakfast.”

Rose pulled Rey back to her and looked over at Poe. “So, how do we handle this?”

“Once the King has been informed of Rey's decision, I suppose we begin negotiations on how all of this is going to work. First a wedding and then a war.”

“A wedding and a war,” Rose murmured. “Those two things should not go together.”

Poe looked at Rey for a moment before running his hands over his face. “I need to go talk to Snap and Finn. They need to know what is going to happen in the morning.”

“I'll stay here with her,” Rose said. “I'll make sure that she's prepared for this by breakfast.”

“Then I will see you in the morning,” Poe said, walking out of the room.

“Rey,” Rose murmured. “You need to get out of these clothes, get your face cleaned, and then get some sleep.”

“Stay with me tonight?” Rey mumbled into Rose's neck.

“Of course, Rey. I wouldn't be anywhere else.”

**********

Breakfast was almost over and Rey was contemplating when she could get Anakin alone to inform him of her decision when Anakin decided to ask her about it in front of the entire Skywalker family. “Rey, have you given any more thought to my price for helping Jakku in this war you want to wage?”

“War?” Padmé said, surprised. “What war, Ani?”

Anakin didn't even look at his wife, keeping his eyes on Rey. “That is not important at the moment, Padmé. We will not be involved if the Queen of Jakku does not agree to my price.”

Rey could feel Ben's eyes burning her from across the table. They'd been burning her throughout breakfast, but the heat from his gaze had intensified. He quite clearly had been told about the deal that Anakin was trying to strike, and he quite clearly was not happy about it. 

Ben didn't want to marry her. And that was fine. She didn't want to marry him either.

But Rey had no choice.

“I have given it a lot of thought, Anakin,” Rey said, and she knew that everyone was staring at her, so she kept her head down so she was looking at her plate. “I've done nothing but think about it since the end of our meeting yesterday.”

“Have you reached a decision?” Anakin asked.

“I have,” Rey said, forcing her voice to stay calm. Getting choked up at that moment would not help matters at all. She was the Queen Regnant of the nation of Jakku. Crying over this in front of others was just not acceptable. 

“What have you asked of her, Ani?” Padmé asked seriously. “Tell me now.”

“Yes, Father, what have you asked of her?” Leia asked, concern in her voice.

“I told her that Tatooine will join her in waging war against the Coruscant Empire if she offered her hand in marriage to Ben,” Anakin said, and everyone's eyes turned to where she and Ben were sitting across from each other. “And Rey has made a decision. What is it?”

This was her last chance to change her mind. This was the last moment that she could keep the freedom of choice when it came to who to marry for herself. This was it.

But she needed Tatooine's army more than she needed that freedom of choice.

“I have chosen to accept your terms, Anakin,” Rey said, her voice steady. “I will marry your grandson and bind our countries together in exchange for your help removing my grandfather from power.”

“You mean to remove the Emperor?” Han exclaimed. “Your Majesty, this is madness.”

Rey knew that it was terribly rude of her, but she could not sit at that table for another second. She pushed her chair back and stood, thanked everyone for breakfast, and left the room as quickly as possible. 

“How are you feeling about this, Ben?” Padmé asked, her voice gentle. 

Ben didn't want to answer that. But he wasn't about to lie to his grandmother. “I hate it, Grandmother. But I will not disobey an order from my King.”

And with that, he stood up and left the room as well. 

Rey didn't have a choice.

Ben had his choice taken away from him.

**********

Things went quickly after that. The Royal Palace announced the engagement of Ben and Rey, and then Anakin declared that they were to be married in the cathedral in Mos Eisley in two weeks, which left the entire court scrambling. A statement was put out to JNN to let the people back in Jakku know that their Queen was to be married in Tatooine, and JNN began collaborating with the Tatooine National News Service on how they could broadcast the wedding in both countries. There was no mention in any statement that the marriage was an arranged one, and all Rey could think about was how the Jakkuvian people were going to think that their Queen had married for love.

She wished she could have been able to marry for love.

The women of the court spent time going over plans while the men of the court began to work out how the combination of the Jakkuvian and Tatooinian armies could approach the coming conflict. After a week of talking about flowers and jewelry and how Rey wanted to wear her hair and how thankful Leia was that Rey would be able to wear white since the period of mourning was over four days before the wedding, Rey needed a break from it all and told Padmé that she wanted to go look at some of their collection of paintings. Padmé said that she'd keep everyone else occupied, and Rey escaped from the room with Zorii in tow. 

She ended up back in the Grand Mesra Drawing Room because she was fascinated with how many paintings covered the walls, and she'd been in there for almost half an hour when the door opened and Ben came in. He saw her on the other side of the room and started to immediately turn around before Rey could see him, but she already had.

“Is this an original Yoda?” she asked, and Ben stopped and turned back in her direction. 

“Yes.”

He went to leave again, but Rey spoke again.

“Who is the subject of the painting?”

Ben stood there for a moment before walking over to her and looking up at the portrait in question. It was either his great-great-great-great-grandfather or his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, and at that moment, he couldn't remember. “I'll be perfectly honest, Your Majesty. At this moment, I am forgetting exactly who it is. One of my great-great-great-something-grandfathers.”

“It is exceptional,” Rey said, tilting her head. “The way the brushstrokes catch the light is extraordinary.”

Ben looked around the room and noticed the presence of the camerawoman who was following Rey everywhere, and he really did not want to be part of her documentary. He didn't want anything to do with her at all.

“Yes,” he said. “That is one of Yoda's best attributes.”

He went to excuse himself and leave before he thought about the camera. He was now on video talking to his future wife and if he was seen to be anything less than loving, his grandfather would have his head. Anakin had decided that this would not be portrayed as an arranged marriage but instead as a love match, and it made Ben all the angrier that he hadn't gotten a chance to make an actual love match of his own.

He wondered if Rey felt the same way.

He thought back on their conversations about art when he had gone to Jakku and remembered that she had been interested in the Royal Palace's Shara Bey collection. Looking up at the wall, he spotted an original Shara Bey and figured that might be the best place to start. Impress her with his knowledge, turn on the charm a little. Make that video that was currently being filmed have people believe that he really did love her.

“If you'll recall, we spoke about our Shara Bey collection when I was last in Jakku,” Ben said, leaving out when that was just in case some story about him visiting secretly was being concocted. “That painting on the top left there is an original Shara Bey. It's called Where My Heart Is and is thought to be of the house that she grew up in.”

Rey followed where Ben was pointing with her eyes and found the painting, breaking out into a smile when she recognized the Dameron family home from her visits there when she was younger. “That's not the house that she grew up in. That's the house where Poe grew up.”

“Pardon?” Ben asked, completely unsure of what that was supposed to mean or who Poe even was.

“Poe, the Duke of Yavin,” Rey said as though that would explain it. “Shara Bey was his mother.”

And now Ben had to meet whoever this Poe was because he was Shara Bey's son? 

“I shall have to ask the Duke questions about his mother and her inspirations the next time I see him. I was unaware that he was her son,” he said, making Rey look over at him with a knowing smile.

“He came on this journey with me,” Rey said. “You just must not have run into him yet. I do want you to take the two of us around and show us Shara's paintings though. Poe would really appreciate that and I would quite enjoy it.”

“Then I will be sure to do so.”

They stood there silently before Ben had an idea. “If you like Shara Bey's work, then have you ever seen an Evaan Verlaine?” he asked, smiling at Rey genuinely when she shook her head no. “Would you like to see one?”

“I would indeed.”

Ben held out his arm for her to take and then he led her out of the room. He noticed after a moment that the camerawoman was following them, and he resolved to tell Rey what an absolutely stupid idea this documentary had been the next time they managed to be alone. 

“I have never heard of Evaan Verlaine,” Rey said as they walked. “Will you tell me about her?”

“Evaan Verlaine was an Alderaanian impressionist,” Ben said. “It is said that she took her inspiration from a surviving Claude Monet that she had found somewhere along the way.”

“A Claude Monet?” Rey's voice was full of wonder. “My grandmother said that while some artists from before the Great Disaster were known, none of their works survived.”

“The Monet is supposedly hanging in the Cloudshape Palace in Alderaan,” Ben said. “I would love to see it, but I have never been to Alderaan.”

“Perhaps someday we will be invited to go to Alderaan together, and then we may ask to see the Monet,” Rey said, turning around when she heard Zorii mutter to herself. “Everything alright, Miss Bliss?”

“Battery is dying. I thought I charged it. I'm going to have to cut this off here. I'll see you later, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. I hope the two of you enjoy your stroll through the palace.”

Zorii curtsied and then turned around and walked away, and Ben fully expected Rey to release his arm once she had disappeared. But she did not and that just made Ben annoyed. “You do not have to hang on to me anymore, you know. The camera is no longer on us.”

“I think we should practice,” Rey said, turning to look at him. “We are a love match, remember. We are supposed to be comfortable being this close to one another.”

Ben conceded the point. “Then would you like to resume our walk?”

“Gladly,” Rey said.

As they walked along, Ben would stop them to point out paintings that he thought Rey would like based on her love for Yoda and Shara Bey, and Rey appreciated it. But every time he addressed her, he would either say Your Majesty or My Lady, and that was just not going to work when it came to projecting themselves as a couple happy and in love. 

“I think that we need to begin to call each other by our given names,” Rey announced as they made their way up a staircase. “We cannot refer to each other as we are now and be considered a happy couple. Look at Anakin and Padmé. They do not address each other that way. My parents did not address each other that way as well.”

Ben thought about it for a moment before deciding that Rey was right. His parents didn't address each other that way either. Neither did Luke and Mara. “Then you may call me Ben.”

“And you may call me Rey,” she said, giving him a smile that Ben thought was really rather lovely.

At least watching her smile would make it easier to participate in this charade. It really did make her look beautiful.

She was really beautiful. He was able to see that. But she was so much younger than him, only a year passed her majority, and he just could not stop thinking of her as a child. At his age, Ben was a full-fledged man, the boy of his younger years left behind. But Rey, she was still in that phase of life when one day you are a lazy teenager, and the next day you are the most productive human being on the planet. She had not learned that balance yet, something that his mother had helped him find in his young adulthood. 

She didn't have a mother to help her find it though. Someone was going to have to teach her to find that balance.

As her husband, he supposed that burden was going to fall to him. He was not looking forward to that.

He brought Rey into the Anchorhead Gallery and watched as she looked around in awe. “These are all original Evaan Verlaines.” 

“These are amazing,” Rey said, letting go of his arm and walking further into the room. “How long ago did she live?”

“About a thousand years ago,” Ben said, walking over to where Rey stood and pointing up at the wall. “That one is my favorite. My grandmother says it is of the Cloudshape Falls in Alderaan, the natural landmark for which the palace is named.”

“It's beautiful,” Rey said softly. “I have never been to such a beautiful place in my life.”

“You have never been to Alderaan either?”

“I went once with my parents when I was a small child, but I don't remember it at all,” Rey said, sucking in a sharp breath.

Ben peered at her in concern. “Are you alright?”

“Are we completely alone? No one to overhear?”

“Yes,” Ben said, confused.

“Then I feel as though I need to explain to you why it is I agreed to this,” Rey said quietly. “It is not something I wanted to do, but I need your grandfather's army more than my freedom of choice when it comes to who I marry.”

“I would like to hear this because you agreeing to this has taken away my freedom of choice when it comes to who I marry,” Ben said, leaving out the fact that Anakin had told him that he would have picked a bride for him should Rey not have agreed. She didn't need to know that.

Rey closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. “My father was the youngest son of Emperor Palpatine. His marriage to my mother was arranged by the Emperor and my grandfather the King, but the Emperor had an ulterior motive for doing so.”

Rey looked over at him. “Or at least I assume so. I can no longer ask my father if I am right or not.”

Ben nodded because he didn't know what to say, and Rey continued. “I'm basing this theory off what happened with my uncle and the Hosnian Queen. Marry the spare sons off to future queens, and then once their wives became queen, convince them of how the might of the Empire would protect them and get them to join willingly. And the Hosnian Queen did join. 

“But my father did not convince my mother to do the same. Instead, he fell in love with her, and she fell in love with him. They worked together to keep Jakku independent from the Empire despite my grandfather's best attempts at talking my mother into joining. My grandfather recognized that my mother was never going to give him Jakku, so he decided that he needed someone on the throne that he could manipulate into doing so.”

Ben stared at her as what Rey was saying hit him. “Are you saying that Emperor Palpatine is the one who poisoned your parents?”

“Yes, I am,” Rey said, taking another deep breath. “He is playing a long game with me, trying to figure out how to manipulate me just the right way so that I think that joining the Empire is the right decision, but he doesn't realize that I will never join him. Not after what he did. Not after he killed my parents. I will defend Jakku till my death. I want him to pay for what he's done. I want to stop him from doing this to other ruling monarchs. I just want him dead. 

“But the Imperial army outnumbers ours by fifty to one. There was no way that we could face them. I tried to find other allies, but no one would help me. Tatooine was my last chance. It was getting your grandfather to agree to help or waiting until the Imperial army shows up as an invasion force. I was prepared to bankrupt my country to get your grandfather's help. But he didn't want money. He wanted me to marry you.”

Rey reached up and wiped away the few tears that had slipped down her cheeks. “That is why I had to agree. I need him dead. I know that this has put you in a position that you don't want to be in and I'm sorry for that, but it was something I had to do.”

Rey looked up at the wall for a moment before giving Ben a watery smile. “Thank you for bringing me here. This room is lovely.”

She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Ben standing there speechless.


	6. Chapter 6

On November seventeenth, Emperor Palpatine found out about the upcoming wedding. And he was _furious._ The reports that it was a love match were immediately dismissed by him. There was no way that the monarch and heir to two neighboring countries had fallen in love to the point of marriage in three months. So there was some other reason for their union and he was going to find out what it was no matter what he had to do to do it. He made it a new goal to destroy both Jakku and Tatooine for whatever charade was going on. They would make welcome additions to his Empire once he got rid of everyone who either was ruling or could rule. 

On November twenty-third, Rey married Ben in a ceremony at Mos Eisley Catherdral. She wore a long white dress that had been Mara's since she didn't have anything appropriate that she'd brought with her to Mos Eisley. Ben was in a military dress uniform, complete with all the insignia of some kind of Tatooinian chivalric order. Rey had no idea what the order was and she didn't care to ask. It didn't matter. 

The ceremony was a typical one for two members of royal houses, long and dreadfully boring at parts. When it was time to say their vows, Rey felt a couple of tears slip down her cheeks as she recited hers, knowing full well that she had to live by them even though she didn't mean a word she was saying. She had a brief moment of panic at the thought that the tears would tip people off to the fact that their love match was a lie before realizing that they'd probably just think she was emotional because she was pledging her life to the man that she loved. 

She'd wanted to marry for love. She'd wanted love. Instead, she got a man who didn't love her and never would. The rest of her life was going to be loveless and that just made her sad. 

Ben tried his best not to look angry throughout the entire thing, but he wasn't acting very loving either. His mother had instructed him to hold Rey's hand during the parts of the ceremony where they were sitting down, to bring it to his lips and give it a gentle kiss. But Ben was not going to do that. He was not going to kiss any part of her ever. They may have been forced into this marriage by his grandfather, but as soon as Anakin was dead, Ben was going to beg Luke for permission to divorce her and seek out another wife. That was the only way Tatooine was going to get an heir to the throne. Ben had no desire to ever touch Rey in the manner required for that to happen.

The ceremony was broadcast across Jakku and Tatooine, and the supposedly happy couple were feted in the streets all over their respective nations. For the people of Jakku and Tatooine, it was the beginning of a lifelong partnership for their beloved Queen and beloved Prince. For Rey and Ben, it was the beginning of a situation that neither wanted to be in. Once they were back at the palace for the night's celebrations, Rey changed into a dress that was actually hers and Ben put on a suit before they were led into the Great Hall for the wedding's celebratory ball. They were forced to dance together for the first dance of the evening, and then after that, neither of them danced again, no matter the prodding from their respective family and friends.

Ben didn't want to touch Rey and Rey didn't particularly want to touch Ben either.

A shared bedroom had been prepared for them to spend their wedding night in, but neither planned on sleeping in it. Still, they entered the room to keep up appearances, didn't say a word to each other in the hour that they spent in there, and then secretly slipped out and back to their own chambers. 

Once Rey was in hers, Rose came and helped her out of her dress, and once Rey was dressed for bed, she collapsed onto the floor and cried. Rose got down on the floor with her, rocked her back and forth until Rey fell asleep, and then got up and got a blanket and a pillow so that Rey could be comfortable. 

Once Ben was in his, he found that all of his attendants were off for the night because he wasn't supposed to be there, so the excuse he had for being there went unsaid. He took off the suit and threw it onto the floor, fully conscious of the fact that he never planned to wear it again, and crawled into his bed. The weight of the ring on his finger was too much for him to bear so he quickly took it off and set it on the bedside table before pulling the pillow over his head. He tried to fight the tears that formed as he thought about the ring on the table and what it signified, but he couldn't stop them, crying himself to sleep.

On December first, the newlyweds left Mos Eisley to return to Niima. Ben had been insistent that he stay behind as he had duties he needed to attend to, but Anakin ordered him to go with his wife to Jakku. Hearing the word wife just made Ben furious with his grandfather all over again. He'd stopped being angry with Rey over the situation though. He still didn't know what to say to her about what she'd said in the Anchorhead Gallery that day, but he understood her desperation and need for revenge. Then, during their journey to Niima, Rey told him everything that she knew about her grandfather, and Ben's understanding of her need for revenge grew, as did his need to make sure that the Emperor did not attempt such a thing with Tatooine.

On December second, Emperor Palpatine's top spy, Lord Snoke, arrived in Niima to pose as the new Imperial Ambassador to Jakku. Snoke had been sent there to see if he could learn the reason why Rey and Ben had married seemingly out of nowhere, and he was going to do whatever was necessary to find out.

When she returned from Mos Eisley, Rey admitted Snoke into court as the Empire's new ambassador, and then she turned her attention to the upcoming holiday season. There were banquets and balls and investitures and services to be had, and now she not only had to preside over all of them, but she also had to look like she was happily married during it. Ben was fine with participating in the festivities until he realized that he would need to dance with Rey at the balls, becoming so angry with his situation that he kicked a stone pillar in his room as hard as he could. 

Knights from his new Guard came running at the noise, which made Ben realize how stupid that had been, but it gave him an unanticipated yet appreciated outcome. He'd broken his foot and now could not dance.

Snoke spent the holiday season watching the newlyweds, noticing how uncomfortable both were with the celebrations and services that were had. But that didn't tell him much of anything, knowing that there were plausible reasons for both to be uncomfortable with the situation, Rey with having never gone through a holiday season as monarch before and Ben with being unfamiliar with Jakkuvian customs. Once the new year had gotten underway, he decided that since Rey was constantly busy and it appeared that Ben did not yet have a defined role, getting close to the Prince and poisoning him against his new wife was a good idea.

It took Snoke nearly two weeks before he worked out Ben's patterns, but then he made it so that he was running into him on a daily basis, sometimes two or three times in a single day. He lied and told Ben that he had been the Imperial Ambassador to Tatooine at a time when Ben would have been a small child and therefore wouldn't know better, and he felt that he had put a foot in the door when Ben began to constantly engage him in discussions about Tatooine.

It was two weeks of talking when Snoke decided to turn things up a bit. He was walking the corridor with Ben, listening to him talk about art that he could not have cared less about, while he waited for a pause in the Prince's babble.

“Your Royal Highness,” Snoke began when he got an opportunity. “It seems that you leave your wife to do everything around here.”

“Well, she is the Queen,” Ben said, stopping to admire a Gial Ackbar that he hadn't noticed before. 

“Yes, but I would think that you would want to assert your dominance over her a bit more, my lord.”

Ben didn't tear his eyes away from the painting. “Assert my dominance?”

“Well, as we all know, a man's natural place is ahead of a woman's. I would have thought you'd try to take more control of things. Leave her to worry about silly things like dresses and jewelry. That's all royal women are good for anyway. Get down to the business of running the country for her.” 

Ben forced himself to keep looking at the painting. “She is the monarch, Ambassador. Not me.”

“Still, my lord, you surely could be guiding her on what you want her to do. A girl so young is very impressionable. This would be your chance to mould her the way you would like her to be.”

Ben balled his right hand into a fist to keep control of himself, letting his eyes shift to a different painting, this one by an artist that was still unknown to him. “You think I should control her, basically.”

“Naturally,” Snoke said. “As I said, a man's natural place is ahead of a woman's. These countries that allow women to ascend to the throne are just subverting the ways of nature. The Skywalkers have it right. Men only. It would make sense that you would want the same for Jakku as your children will be inheriting this throne as well. This is your opportunity to convince her that she never should have been Queen and have her hand over duties to you.”

“You have very interesting opinions, Ambassador,” Ben said, feeling in control enough to turn and look at him. “Perhaps we can discuss them again another time. I have a meeting to get to.”

“A meeting?” Snoke was surprised. “Good, my lord. See, you're already asserting some of your dominance over her. Before long, you will be running this entire country.”

Ben quickly said goodbye and walked off, heading straight to the Throne Room because that's where he knew Rey was that time of day. She was in the middle of an audience when he walked in, and he motioned to Finn that he needed to speak to Rey. Finn nodded in the direction of the antechamber behind the Throne Room so Ben went into the room, found a chair, and waited.

Rey came into the room about fifty minutes later, an apologetic look on her face. “Finn says that you came in to see me nearly an hour ago. I am sorry for making you wait.”

“It's alright,” Ben said, standing up and walking over to her. He pulled Rey flush against his body and ignored her shock, bending down to whisper in her ear so that no one heard him. “I don't think Snoke's an ambassador. I think he's a spy.”

Rey had a surprised look on her face when Ben pulled back, and she immediately motioned for him to follow her. They didn't speak again until Rey had locked them into the bedroom that they were supposed to be sharing, sending all her ladies-in-waiting from her chambers so no one could overhear. They spent an awkward moment realizing that they'd never been in the room together before, but then Rey started talking. “Why do you think Snoke is a spy?”

“He's been coming up to me every day lately, sometimes twice or three times, but it has always been a polite conversation about his time as an Imperial Ambassador to Tatooine. I have been engaging him in these conversations because I knew that he was lying. I wanted to figure out what he was trying to do,” Ben said, taking a deep breath. “Today's conversation was different.”

“How was it different?”

“He started talking to me about how I need to assert my dominance over you because a man's natural place is above that of a woman. He thinks that I should be running things around here instead of you, who he said should be far more concerned with silly things like dresses and jewelry because that's all women are good for. He suggested that I try to mould you into what I want you to be since you're so young. That I should have you fix it so that only men can inherit the throne.” 

Ben forced himself to take another deep breath. “It just reminded me of everything you told me about Palpatine on our journey here from Mos Eisley. It sounded exactly the way Palpatine does in my head now. And I know that Snoke was never an Imperial Ambassador to Tatooine. My grandfather had me memorize stuff like that all the time when I was a child. I know every ambassador that was at court when I was six, which is when Snoke says he was there. He wasn't.”

Rey took in how Ben was practically shaking and reached out, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Hey, it's okay, Ben. Calm down.”

“If he's a spy, he's a really stupid one, because anyone that knows anything about the Skywalkers knows that you don't talk like that to the son of the Duchess of Corellia, nephew of the Crown Princess, and grandson of the Queen Consort. My mother, aunt, and grandmother are three of the staunchest women's rights advocates in all of Tatooine. They did not raise me to think that I'm better than any woman just because I'm a man. My grandfather has been trying to find a legal way to change the succession rules since his children's birth so that my mother could also inherit the throne, but that's a very complicated situation he's never been able to resolve because of some declaration from some King generations ago.”

Rey ran her hands up and down Ben's arms until he calmed down. “If Snoke is a spy, then I'm willing to bet that my grandfather knows that there is an ulterior motive to our marriage. I'm sure he is furious over me getting married without his consent even though I didn't need it. Snoke is here to find out the truth.”

“I think you're probably right about that,” Ben murmured. “So what do we do now?”

“First, we make sure that the plans for the march on Coruscant are not discovered. I think that we should keep them to meetings of the Council from now on, and then perhaps in Poe's chambers late at night when necessary,” Rey said. “And then we make sure we're telling people the same things.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that we need to make sure we're telling people the same story about us. How we met, why we got married so quickly, things like that. We need to not give Snoke a single crack to force his way through in an attempt to get to the bottom of everything,” Rey said. “So we need a story and then we need to start telling it to a lot of people.”

“I know hardly anyone around here, so I don't know who I'd tell,” Ben said, running a hand through his hair. “I suppose that I should probably try to make some friends. Make it look like I'm happy to be here and ready to support you.”

Rey swallowed hard. “I know you're not happy to be here, but that doesn't mean you can't be a support for me. Especially if we're right about Snoke and why he's here.”

“Right,” Ben said after a moment. “No, you're right. I need to help support you better. That is one way that will make things less suspicious. How do I do that?”

“My father used to sit with my mother in the Throne Room during her audiences,” Rey said softly. “He would offer up opinions when my mother inquired for one. You could fulfill that role for me.”

“I don't know,” Ben started, but Rey shook her head. 

“I don't know how to be a Queen,” she murmured. “My mother said I wasn't to be taught until I turned eighteen. She obviously didn't make it to that point. I honestly think that is part of the reason why my grandfather picked when he did to poison them. He wanted to do it before she began to teach me how to be a Queen.”

“You weren't taught anything?” Ben asked, sure he had to have heard that wrong.

“I learned things just from watching her, but I was never taught anything directly. I didn't even know that I was going to have to read and sign all that paperwork every week, which Poe says is one of the main jobs of being the monarch. I am trying my best but I have no idea what I'm doing.”

Ben stood there for a moment. “If I start sitting with you during your audiences, and start offering up opinions when you ask for one, then Snoke is going to think that I am asserting dominance over you like he thinks I should be doing.”

“And letting him think that is a good thing right now,” Rey said. “The longer we can keep him from finding out that we know why he's here, the longer we have to figure out how and when to march on Coruscant.”

“I need to be involved in those plans,” Ben said. “It is my duty now as your husband to lead the Jakkuvian army into battle, especially since we're combining it with the Tatooinian army.”

“Then you are now a member of my Privy Council,” Rey said. “I'll have Poe draw up that paperwork and sign it immediately. Therefore you can attend Council meetings and those will be very little more than planning sessions for the foreseeable future. Though at the moment there is a lot of planning going on for my coronation as well.”

“Your Majesty?” came Jannah's voice from out in Rey's chambers. “You are needed back in the Throne Room.”

“Coming, Jannah!” Rey turned to Ben and smiled at him. “Would you like to come to the Throne Room with me? I have another two hours' worth of audience time to go through.”

“Of course,” Ben said, holding out his arm. 

Rey took it and they started walking towards the door. “And tonight, we need to have dinner, just the two of us, and get our stories straight.”

“Then dinner will be just the two of us this evening,” Ben said, and Rey smiled at him again. 

“Thank you,” she said softly, leading Ben through the rooms he had never been in before until they were back in the corridor. “Let's get back to work.”

Ben looked up and saw Snoke watching them from down the corridor, so he bent and brushed a kiss along Rey's hair. “Yes, darling,” he murmured. “Let's.”

**********

The more time that Ben spent in the Throne Room watching audiences with Rey, the more he began to change his assessment of her. She was young, yes, but she was no child. Maybe it was the result of having to grow up entirely too soon after the death of her parents, but Rey was firm in her convictions and had a backbone of steel when it came to making decisions that she was really passionate about. She still asked for his opinion often, and he tried to give advice based upon things his grandfather had taught him about Kingship so that she may learn from what he was saying. And she was learning, little by little, day by day, and while it might have been a slower process than it would have been should her mother been able to train her in the ways of Queenship, Ben was becoming increasingly more convinced that Rey would be a great Queen for her people for years to come.

She would be a great Queen for the people of Tatooine as well.

Ben spent part of every day in the Council's meeting room, pouring over plans with Poe, Snap, and Finn. His expertise with the strengths and weaknesses of the Tatooinian army was proving invaluable, and the plans for their march on Coruscant slowly came together. As they did, he grew to count on the three men as friends at court. Knowing that all three of them knew the truth of his relationship with Rey helped matters as well. He didn't have to pretend to be in love when he was in that room among them. He could just focus on the job at hand, the job for which he was married to the Jakkuvian Queen. 

The apprehension that Rey and Ben had with one another in the early days had been focused into determination after the discovery that Snoke was a spy. They'd spent a week having dinner alone together every night until they came up with the perfect story, and then they spent the next week having dinner every other night to make sure that they remembered everything when they weren't going over it every day, and then the week after that, they sat down with Lady Paige Tico and gave an interview to JNN. Most of it was focused on Rey, but there was a lot of talk about their relationship and their decision to quickly get married because they just couldn't go a day without each other anymore, which was part of the story that they'd concocted. The interview was aired in Tatooine as well, according to a letter from his mother, who told Ben that she was glad to see him so happy.

He didn't have the heart to write to her and tell her that it was all an act.

The act became easier to pull off as the days went on, and they were now comfortable around each other in a way that they hadn't used to be. When it came time for banquets and balls that they were supposed to be attending as a happily married couple, they were able to enjoy themselves without having to worry about every word that they said and move that they made. They were stuck with each other for the rest of their lives, so the fact that they had grown into friends made it far more tolerable than either of them had been thinking it would be on their wedding day.

But as Rey's coronation approached, there was one thing that she needed to talk to Ben about, and yet she had no idea how to do so.

“My lady?”

Rey snapped herself out of her thoughts and smiled at Elizabeth. “I'm sorry. I was thinking about something and wasn't paying attention. What were you saying?”

“I was asking whether you are liking how the dress for the pre-coronation festivities has come out, my lady.”

Rey looked at herself in the mirror and was struck by the beauty of the blue dress that she was wearing. It was long and fit her just right, and she couldn't help but think that she looked unbelievably beautiful in it. “Yes, Elizabeth. It looks wonderful.”

Elizabeth smiled at her. “I suspect that the Prince will like seeing you in this dress quite a bit.”

Rey swallowed hard. “I'm sure that he will.”

“Let's get the dress off of you, my lady, so we can preserve it for next Thursday night.”

Rey nodded and let Elizabeth help her get out of the dress, putting on a much simpler dress and then heading towards Rose's chambers. If there was anyone who could help her figure out how to broach this subject with Ben, it would be Rose.

Rose welcomed her in and turned off the television, taking one look at her before shaking her head. “You still haven't told him, have you?”

“I don't know how I can ask him to do this,” Rey said, sitting down in a chair. “He is going to be the King of Tatooine someday. I don't know how he's going to feel about taking this oath.”

“It can always be removed from the ceremony if he does not want to take it, and we can say it's because he feels as though he shouldn't because he will be the King of Tatooine someday,” Rose pointed out. “But you need to tell him about it and then ask him.”

Rey sat there in silence for a few moments, and Rose realized that there was more on her mind than just the oath that needed to be said at her coronation. “What is it?”

“It's something Elizabeth just said to me. It's just got me thinking about things.”

“What did Elizabeth say?” Rose asked. “Do I need to have her reassigned?”

“No, no, nothing of the sort,” Rey said, shaking her head. “It's nothing.”

“It's obviously not,” Rose pointed out. “Come on, tell me.”

“I was trying on the dress I am wearing to the pre-coronation festivities next Thursday, and Elizabeth said something to me, and now I can't get it out of my mind.”

Rose sat there and waited for Rey to expand upon that, and when she didn't, Rose sighed. “Rey, if you don't tell me what is going on, I'll go ask Elizabeth myself. You clearly need to talk about it.”

Rey closed her eyes. “I was thinking to myself how good I look in the dress. It fits me just right, Rose. It's gorgeous. And then Elizabeth had to go and say that she thinks Ben will probably like how I look in it and...”

“Well, she's not wrong,” Rose said, and Rey's eyes shot open. “You're a beautiful woman and that dress will only enhance that. And Ben's a man. Men like seeing beautiful women in dresses like that.”

“I'm afraid that it's too sexual now.”

“It's not too sexual,” Rose said reassuringly. “I worked very hard on it with the designer to make sure it was as demure as it needed to be but also made you look regal.”

“I don't think Ben would ever think of me in a sexual manner.”

“Do you find him gorgeous?”

“Yes,” Rey said without thinking. 

“Then trust me, he's capable of thinking of you in a sexual manner.”

“We've reached a point where we're friends and it's nice. It's so much more than I thought I was going to get on my wedding day. It's just that this is not what I wanted out of life.”

“It's grown into friendship,” Rose said. “There is still a chance that it could turn into more.”

“He's the kind of man that I could have seen myself marrying,” Rey said quietly. “We have a lot of the same interests, we have strengths where the other has weaknesses, and yes, there is our age difference, but when we're around each other now, the age difference doesn't matter anymore. We have respect for each other now.”

“Rey,” Rose said softly, reaching for her hand. “You did marry him.”

“Not the way it could have been,” Rey breathed out. “I married him for an army, not for love.”

“There is still a chance that it could turn into more,” Rose said again. “I think it's far too soon to say that it won't. You have only been married for nearly three months. That's not enough time for that to have developed between you.”

Rey nodded and then stood up. “Tell me that you have found yourself a date for the coronation balls and that his name is Lord Finn Storm, Viscount Krownest.”

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Rose said, making Rey spin around and look at her. 

“And it is Finn?”

Rose nodded in excitement. “He asked me if I would like to attend with him and I didn't hesitate to say yes. Maybe it's supposed to only be as friends, but we shall see.”

“I hope for your sake that it's not only as friends,” Rey said, smiling at her. “Join me for breakfast in the morning. I'm going to have to talk to you about this conversation I'm about to have with Ben.”

“So you are going to go talk to him about the oath?”

“Yes,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “And I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about it tomorrow.”

“Then I will bring you breakfast nice and early so we have plenty of time to talk about it.”

“Thank you, Rose,” Rey said, turning around and walking out the door.

She made her way to Ben's chambers and requested to enter, and when the door opened, one of Ben's attendants was standing there. “Your Majesty. Please, come in.”

“Thank you,” Rey said, following the attendant. “Where is my husband?”

“I'm right here,” Ben said, coming into the room in an incredible suit and nearly making Rey's jaw drop.

“You look very regal,” was what came out of her mouth, and she was glad that the word gorgeous hadn't been said instead. “Is this for one of the coronation balls?”

“The one for next Thursday,” Ben said, turning to look at himself in the full-length mirror on the wall. “The ladies of your household have been on a mission to make sure that I look appropriate. I don't know anything about how a consort is supposed to look for Jakkuvian coronation festivities.”

“You look wonderful,” Rey said, smiling at Ben when he looked over at her. “And I'm sure you will look every inch my prince on that day.”

“That's the point,” Ben said. “Excuse me while I go change.”

Ben walked out of the room and returned a few minutes later, and Rey could see that his hair was still damp from a shower. It looked good on him, like how the suit he'd just been wearing looked good on him, and Rey found herself wishing that they'd gotten to the point where they were naturally instead. 

Though she wasn't entirely sure why she was thinking of Ben that way. Maybe she was just projecting her wish for having been able to do things naturally with a man on the fact that he was the one that was there.

“You never come here to see me,” Ben said. “Usually you have me summoned.”

“Then I shall have to make it a point to come here more often,” Rey said, turning to face him. “Can we go somewhere alone? I need to talk to you about my coronation.”

“Of course,” Ben said, calling out for his attendants to leave his chambers. “We'll go into our room.”

Rey bit her tongue before she said that it couldn't be considered to be their room until they shared it, and she followed Ben there instead.

“Poe was explaining my role in it to me today,” Ben said, as he sealed the door. “I assure you that I will play my part perfectly.”

Rey nodded. “Did he mention the oath then?”

“The oath?”

“Of course not,” she muttered under her breath. “Part of the ceremony is the monarch's consort swearing an oath. It's called the Oath of Loyalty to the Crown, and it's a declaration that the consort has set aside their attachments to their previous royal house and are now one hundred percent a Jakkuvian who is there to support their husband or wife to the fullest.”

Ben stood there without saying anything, so Rey continued. “You don't have to say it if you don't want to. We can say that you didn't think it was right given that you'll be the King of Tatooine one day, and we can leave it at that. I will completely understand.”

“Do you want me to say it?” was what Ben eventually said, which was not what Rey had been expecting.

“I want you to do what you feel comfortable with,” Rey stressed. “I am not going to make you do something you don't want to do.”

“That doesn't answer my question, Rey.”

Rey took a deep breath. “I think it will help to maintain the image that we have created to keep Snoke busy if you take the oath. But as I said, I don't want you to do something that you don't want to do.”

Ben nodded. “Then I'll take the oath.”

“Ben,” Rey started, but Ben shook his head. 

“I have no problems taking the oath, Rey. This is part of what uniting our countries was supposed to be, isn't it? Jakku and Tatooine becoming part of each other. This is part of it.”

Rey stood there for a moment. “If you're sure.”

“I'm sure,” Ben said. 

“Then I will make sure that it stays in the ceremony,” Rey said, letting out a small laugh. “I am looking forward to this and dreading it at the same time.”

“You tell me how I can help you and I will,” Ben said, walking to the door.

“I will do so,” Rey said, smiling at him. “I will see you at dinner tonight.”

“I am looking forward to it,” Ben said, smiling back.

They left the room and Rey headed back to her office, sitting down at her desk and reaching for the stack of papers that had been set there.

She didn't know what to think about Ben anymore.


	7. Chapter 7

The weekend before her coronation, Rey requested the video of her mother's and then watched it with Ben, explaining to him everything that would be happening and his role in it. Ben had never seen a photo of Rey's mother in her younger days and he realized that Rey had inherited her looks, though he could see traces of her father in Rey's face as well. When it came time for her father to take the Oath of Loyalty to the Crown in the video, Ben noticed the genuine smiles that Rey's parents gave each other both before and after the oath and could tell that they had truly been in love, much like his parents were. 

Ben had grown up around marriages of love. Anakin had fallen in love with Padmé and then wooed her until she agreed to become his wife. Luke had been given the same freedom and found Mara. His mother had been given that freedom as well, and while he knew that his father was not Anakin's favorite person in the world, Leia had been allowed to marry for love too. Ben had always been promised that he would have that same freedom, and as he watched the video with Rey, he realized that she had been promised that freedom too. 

And there they were, freedom to find love taken away from them by unfortunate necessity because of an Emperor who sounded like he wouldn't know what love was if he tried.

On the day of the coronation, Rey sat on the throne in the Hall of Kings, surrounded by members of foreign royal houses and the Jakkuvian nobility. The crown her mother had always said was heavy was weighing down her head, and Rey knew that by the time the service was over, she was going to have an incredible headache. Her oaths to the realm had been said, her forehead and breast had been anointed by holy oil, and the majority of her participation in the ceremony was over. All she had to do now was sit there and listen to people recite prayers and oaths.

Ben had been sitting to the side while Rey was front and center, resplendent in the dress uniform of the Commander-in-Chief of the Jakkuvian army. Rey had bestowed the position upon him in the weeks leading up to this day, but today was the first time she had ever seen him in her nation's uniform. Ben had worn the dress uniform of a Tatooinian general on their wedding day, and now that Rey was seeing him in another dress uniform, she had come to a conclusion.

Ben wore dress uniforms well.

When it was time for the oath in the coronation, Ben stood from his chair and walked over to where Rey was on the throne. She gave him a smile that he knew was genuine but wasn't the same kind of smile he'd watched her mother give in that video, and then he bent to a knee before her, took her hand, and recited the Oath of Loyalty to the Crown. The smile she gave him afterward was better, he thought, and he tried to give her his best smile in return. Then, oath said, he sat down in the chair to the left of the throne, took a deep breath, and reached out to take Rey's hand, the same way he had seen her father do with her mother. Rey's fingers curled around his and squeezed gently, and he knew at that moment that she appreciated it.

With the ceremony over and the carriage procession through the streets of Niima finished, Rey returned to her chambers to change for that evening's ball and Ben sought out Luke and Mara. He had been so involved with everything that had been happening that he hadn't been able to speak to his aunt and uncle since they'd arrived from Mos Eisley, and when he ended up with them in their chambers, he felt better than he had in weeks. 

“Thank you for coming,” Ben said, reaching up and undoing the buttons at the top of the dress uniform he was still wearing. “Rey really appreciated it.”

“Of course we were going to come for our niece's coronation,” Mara said, taking a look at the clock. “I need to go get ready for tonight. I'll talk to you after that, okay?” 

Ben nodded and Mara bent to brush a kiss along his cheek, walking into another room and being trailed by all of the ladies-in-waiting that had come with them. Luke sat down across from Ben and smiled. “I see that you're wearing a Jakkuvian uniform.”

Ben nodded. “Rey made me Commander-in-Chief a month ago. She said that it's necessary for what is to come. I can't go leading the Jakkuvian army into battle with a Tatooinian uniform on.”

“I think it's a good thing,” Luke said. “After all, your descendants are going to be in charge of both armies.”

“Do not talk about descendants with me,” Ben said, running his hands over his face. “That is not going to be happening.”

“That has to happen, Ben,” Luke said, peering at him with concern. “Have you two not consummated your marriage yet?”

“Of course not,” Ben said seriously. “I haven't even kissed her.”

Luke just shook his head. “Ben, I know that this is not the situation you wanted to find yourself in, but this is something that you're going to have to do, or else both Tatooine and Jakku will fall into other hands. These Royal Houses have ruled for hundreds of generations. Do not make the downfall of them both be your stubbornness.”

Ben closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Luke, you're overreacting.”

“I'm really not, and don't make me tell my father about this,” Luke said firmly. 

Ben kept his eyes closed and took another deep breath. “I cannot think of her like that.”

“Ben, Rey is a beautiful woman. You can think of her like that.”

Ben huffed. “Do not say things like that to me.”

“What? That your wife is beautiful? That's the first thing Mother ever said to her. It's obvious. Surely even you are able to see that.”

“Yes, she's beautiful, but that does not make me want to have sex with her.”

“Are you two not getting along? The oath you took today had me thinking otherwise.”

Ben shook his head and opened his eyes. “No, we get along fine. I'd even call us friends now. But I cannot have sex with her.”

“Oh, Ben,” Luke sighed. “You cannot think that way. It is vital to both Tatooine and Jakku that you don't.”

Ben stood up. “Excuse me, but I need to go see how I'm supposed to be preparing for tonight.”

“Ben,” Luke said, watching as he walked towards the door. “I'm telling you the truth and you know it.”

Ben walked out the door without saying another word.

**********

The door to the D'Qar Drawing Room opened and Rey walked in, taking a deep breath as Sheev turned to look at her. “Grandfather.”

“Rey, darling,” Sheev said, coming closer to her. “It was a lovely service today.”

“Jakkuvian coronations usually are,” Rey said, taking another deep breath. “I have things to get to. What is it that you want to discuss?”

“That is no way to talk to me, Rey,” Sheev said seriously. “Especially with your country so weak. I have been trying to keep an eye on things for you. That is why I wish to speak with your Commander-in-Chief about the coming threat from Lothal.”

Rey knew at that moment that there was no coming threat from Lothal. “I appreciate the offer, Grandfather, but we have things under control here.”

“Is that so?” Sheev asked. “I am sorry, my darling, but I do not believe that you have anything under control.”

“Ben has been most helpful in getting things more organized around here. I am sure that he is already aware of this coming threat and did not want to tell me until after the coronation,” Rey lied, smiling. “He has been most helpful with everything.”

“Yes, let's talk about Ben for a moment, shall we?” Sheev took a long sip from the glass of wine in his hand. “I was not informed of this relationship of yours.”

“No one was,” Rey said, remembering the story that they had come up with. “Not even the King of Tatooine knew what was happening between Ben and me until I went to Tatooine to visit him. Things just moved very quickly from that point.”

Sheev studied her in a way that unnerved Rey. “I still feel as though you should have had a proper wedding in the cathedral here in Niima. One that your family was able to attend.”

“I know that you do, but what I had was the wedding that I wanted,” Rey lied again. “I did not care where it was or who attended it. All I wanted was to be married to Ben as quickly as possible.”

Sheev stared at Rey again, making her skin crawl. “One of these days, the three of us are going to have to sit down and allow me and Ben to get to know each other. But unfortunately, I don't have that time at the moment. I am leaving in minutes to return to Coruscant. Things are happening there that I simply must attend to. You should consider yourself lucky that I took the time to come here.”

Rey wanted to scream, but instead, she forced a smile onto her face. “I am grateful that you came, Grandfather. I know my father would be happy to know that you were in attendance for such an important event.”

“Yes, I suppose he would be,” Sheev said. “I do miss him ever so much. Your mother as well. They were very good people, Rey. But sometimes you can be too much of a good person. I do hope you remember that.”

Sheev turned and walked out of the room, leaving Rey standing there knowing that her grandfather definitely knew that her marriage was nothing more than an alliance. She just hoped that he didn't discover the truth before they could march on Coruscant.

**********

“There is one other thing that we need to discuss before I can leave you for the evening, Rey,” Poe said, shuffling papers in his lap. “And that is the Prince's birthday.”

“His birthday?” Rey asked, and then her eyes widened. “It's coming up soon, isn't it?”

“Next Wednesday,” Poe confirmed. “He will be turning twenty-eight.”

Rey sighed heavily. “We're not prepared for this, are we?”

“We can be prepared in a matter of hours,” Poe assured. “We have all the plans for your father's past birthdays that we can draw from. Food, guests, those sorts of things can be sorted out quickly.”

“Then do so, please,” Rey said, sighing again. “I need to give him a present.”

“Yes. I had a thought on some stately homes that you could give him as a country retreat,” Poe started, but Rey shook her head.

“No, I need to give him something grander than that. Something that shows my commitment to him,” Rey mused. “What is his official title?”

“His Royal Highness Prince Ben of Tatooine,” Poe said, confused. “Did you not know that?”

“Well, now he is also the Prince Consort of Jakku,” Rey declared. “He has stepped into my father's position. It is time that he has my father's title as well.”

Poe stared at Rey for a moment. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

Rey sat there for a moment and then nodded. “I can think of no other birthday gift that can be presented before the court that would be as meaningful as that.”

“Rey,” Poe said softly. “You don't have to give him a meaningful gift like that if you don't want to.”

“This is supposed to be a love match, Poe. And we absolutely cannot give anyone any indication that it is otherwise. I am terrified of what Snoke knows and who else might be here to do the same thing. I already know that my grandfather is circling Arkanis and I'm not prepared to find out that he's already cut a deal with the King and the Arkanisan ambassador is here working with Snoke too.”

“I am almost certain that he's not,” Poe said seriously. “The Arkanisan ambassador has been at court for decades. I can't see him betraying your family like that.”

“Well, I don't want to find out,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “Draw up the necessary paperwork for me to give Ben that title. I'll let him know, and the day of the next investiture, I'll bestow the Order of Namenthe on him as well.”

“That's the highest order in the land,” Poe said, surprised. 

“And the Prince Consort should have it,” Rey said, nodding when Poe looked at her. “My father had it.”

“Then I will draw up all the pertinent paperwork,” Poe said, standing up. “I'll leave it to you to inform him of these gifts.”

“Will it be ready for the investiture tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Poe said. “I'll make sure this is all done before then and that the order's insignia is withdrawn from the vaults. You aren't bestowing one on anyone else tomorrow so it's not currently prepared.”

“Thank you, Poe,” Rey said, waiting until he had left before calling out. “Jannah, I'm going to visit my husband.”

“Shall I inform the kitchen that you'll be dining with him tonight, Your Majesty?” Jannah asked, appearing through the doorway. 

“I will send someone to let you know if I choose to dine with him in his chambers,” Rey said, smiling at her. “Otherwise, I will return soon and then you can send for it.”

“Yes, my lady,” Jannah said, curtsying before leaving the room. 

Rey stood up, looked at herself in the mirror, ran her hands through her long, dark hair, and then headed in the direction of Ben's chambers. She had begun to get nervous when it was time to see him and she did not know why. They had reached a point where things were nice, so much nicer than she'd ever thought they would be, and she hoped that they would continue to get better as they got to know one another more.

But she knew she'd never get love and all thinking about that served to do was make her sad.

She requested entrance when she arrived at Ben's chambers and was immediately let in, and then she was led through the rooms to the dining room where Ben had just sat down at the table. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your dinner.”

Ben looked up at her with a smile. “You didn't, don't worry. Would you like to join me? I can have someone bring you something.”

Rey nodded and Ben asked the attendant that had brought Rey there to retrieve some dinner for her. She asked him to stop and tell her ladies-in-waiting that she was joining Ben along the way, and then the attendant left the room. Ben stood up as Rey made her way to the table, pulling out the chair across from his. “Please sit down.”

“Thank you,” Rey said, sitting in the chair and letting Ben help her move it closer to the table. “How was your day?”

“It went well,” Ben said, sitting back down. “It is hard trying to explain to your generals why new exercises need to be implemented. You need to be prepared for the fact that they won't be happy with you over this.”

“They'll probably say it's your influence but I'll set them straight once it's necessary to tell them,” Rey said, thanking an attendant when they set a glass in front of her and poured her some wine. “I think at that point they'll understand.”

“I think you're probably right about that,” Ben replied. “Still think they don't trust me.”

“You're an outsider. It's natural. It took them some time to warm up to my father too. It'll be fine.” Rey looked up when a plate was set in front of her, murmuring thank you. “I don't know why we didn't just decide to have dinner together earlier.”

“You said that you had a lot of work to do to get prepared for the investiture tomorrow,” Ben said, cutting into his meat. “Did that go well?”

“I still have some papers that I need to sign in the morning,” Rey said, taking a couple of bites before speaking again. “Have you ever been invested with anything before? I suppose that's a silly question considering you were wearing a chivalric order on our wedding day.”

“Yes. Knight Commander of the Order of the Dune Sea. That is what I wore on our wedding day. Grandfather gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday,” Ben asked, looking up at her. “Were you ever invested with anything?”

“Dame Commander of the Grand Cross of Goazon,” Rey said, smiling. “My mother gave it to me for a sixteenth birthday present as well.”

“Is that the highest order that Jakku has?”

“No. The highest order that we have is the Order of Namenthe. There can be only twenty-five living Jakkuvians who hold it,” Rey explained. “And I'm giving it to you in the morning.”

Ben's fork fell from his fingers. “What?”

“Tomorrow, you will be invested before the court with the Order of Namenthe,” Rey said, smiling at the shocked look on Ben's face. “It's part of your birthday present.”

Ben swallowed hard as the implication of the importance of the gift hit him. “You're giving me something as important as that for a birthday present?”

“As part of it,” Rey said, turning her attention back to the plate in front of her. 

Ben reached for his glass and drank down almost all of his ale. “What is the rest of it then?”

“Well, next week will be filled with the normal celebrations for the consort of the monarch,” Rey said, reaching for her wine and taking a sip. “And then during one of them, I will announce that I have bestowed the title Prince Consort of Jakku on you.”

Ben sat there for a few moments before swallowing hard. “Rey, I don't know what to say.”

“One day you will be the King of Tatooine, and that will make me the Queen Consort of Tatooine. It is only fitting that you have the equivalent title here in Jakku.”

Ben drank down the rest of his ale and then called out for an attendant to get more. “That is an incredible honor, Rey. Not just the title but also the order. I really am speechless.”

“It's important to mark your first birthday as my husband with an appropriate gift,” Rey said as an attendant came into the room. “I can think of no better or more meaningful gift than this.”

“Well, when is your birthday?” Ben asked, murmuring thanks to the attendant before picking up his refilled glass. “I will have to respond with an appropriate gift.”

Rey smiled. “You don't have to do that.”

“You're my darling wife,” Ben said. “Of course I do.”

Rey forced down the butterflies that went through her at those words. The door wasn't closed yet. Ben was just going along with their act. “My birthday is May twenty-ninth,” she breathed out. “And I really do not require a present.”

The door closed and they were alone again. “Yes, Rey, you do,” Ben said seriously. “You are giving me an incredible gift tomorrow. I must respond in kind. My darling wife deserves it.”

Rey forced the butterflies back down again. “The door is closed, Ben. We're alone.”

“I know,” Ben said, smiling at her. “But I felt like calling you my darling wife anyway.”

Rey reached for her wine and drank half the glass. “Let's move on to a different subject, shall we? Tell me more about these exercises you're beginning to put my battalions through.”

“If that is what you wish.”

“That is what I wish.”

Ben began to speak about things that Rey had no understanding of, and Rey tried to put the butterflies out of her mind. She was never going to get love out of this marriage, so butterflies were pointless. Better to live in reality than think that things could change.

**********

“My lady?” Jannah said, walking into the room where Rey was sitting with Rose. “These have just arrived for you.”

Rey looked over at her and saw the beautiful bouquet of multi-colored roses in Jannah's hands. “From who?”

“I did not look at the card, Your Majesty,” Jannah said, walking closer to her. “I thought that to be too intrusive.”

Jannah held out the bouquet and Rey took the card off of it, flipping it around in her hands. “If you would be so kind as to put those in some water for me, Jannah, I would appreciate it.”

“Of course, my lady. Where shall I put them when I'm done?”

Rey looked around the room for a moment before smiling. “I think on that table underneath the window would be best.”

“They will be there momentarily,” Jannah said, curtsying and walking back out of the room.

Rey turned her attention to the card in her hands. “Who could have possibly sent me roses?”

“Open the card and find out,” Rose said excitedly. “I am not telling you another thing about my evening with Finn until you do.”

Rey shook her head but opened the envelope, pulling out the card that was inside. The image on the front was a painting of more roses, and then she opened it and began to read.

_I was told that you like roses. I hope you enjoy these._  
  
_Expect your gift later. Happy birthday, darling._  
  
_Ben_

Rey let out a shuddering breath and Rose peered at her in concern. “Rey?”

“They're from Ben,” she breathed out. 

Rose smiled. “For your birthday?”

“Yes. He heard I like roses and so he sent me some,” Rey said, setting the card on the table next to her and swallowing hard. “I don't know what to think of that.”

“I think that sounds like a very nice gift from a husband to his wife,” Rose said, and Rey closed her eyes. 

“I never should have told you that.”

“What? That you've been growing closer to him since the coronation? There is nothing wrong with that.” Rose watched her for a moment and realized that Rey had not been telling her everything. “You're falling in love with him, aren't you?” 

Rey didn't say anything, which told Rose everything. “Isn't that what you always wanted? Wasn't that what you hoped this would turn into? There is nothing wrong with this, Rey.”

“There's everything wrong with it when it turns into feelings for me and nothing for him,” Rey said, leaning her head back against her chair. 

“Has he ever sent you roses before?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know that's not just an expression of his feelings?”

“Do not say these things to me,” Rey snapped. “And that is an order.”

“That I am going to disobey,” Rose said seriously. “This is something you desperately need to talk about.”

Rey stood up and walked out of the room, brushing past Jannah and heading out into the corridor. She needed somewhere to go where Rose couldn't follow, and she was walking towards Ben's chambers before she even thought about it. She was let in immediately and then one of Ben's attendants went to get him. She took a deep breath and sat down on the sofa, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. 

There was absolutely no reason for her to be nervous. It was just her husband.

But it was Ben.

“Rey,” Ben said as he walked into the room, and she wanted to believe that he was saying it softer than he used to. 

But she knew better.

“Ben,” Rey replied, a bright smile on her face as he came more into her view. He grew more gorgeous in her estimation every day. “Thank you for the roses.”

“You are most welcome,” Ben said, sitting down next to her. “You should have told me you like roses. I would have been sending them regularly.”

Rey swallowed hard. “I didn't think you would be interested in knowing something like that,” she breathed out.

“I am,” Ben said softly. “I am interested in things like that.”

They stared at each other for a moment before hearing a slight cough from behind them. “My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, but the gift is ready, my lord.”

“Excellent,” Ben said, standing up. “Stay right there, darling. I'll be right back.”

Rey took a couple of deep breaths as Ben walked out of the room with the attendant. He was just keeping up the act. That's all it was.

But how she'd come to want it to be true. She wanted to love him. She could love him. She just wanted him to love her back, and she was almost certain that wouldn't happen. 

But maybe the roses said otherwise.

Ben walked back into the room at that moment with a large gift wrapped in silver paper, and Rey smiled when he brought it over to her. He set the gift on the table in front of them and then dismissed his attendants. When they all were gone, Ben motioned to the gift. “For you.”

Rey smiled at him, forced her nerves down, and reached for the gift. She carefully tore into the paper, pulling it away and looking at the frame that she'd received. And inside it was something that she couldn't believe she was actually staring at. 

“This is an Evaan Verlaine,” Rey breathed out. “My favorite from the Anchorhead Gallery at the Royal Palace.”

“Yes, it is,” Ben said, a grin on his face. “I told my grandfather that I needed to give you an appropriate gift for your eighteenth birthday, and he allowed me to take the painting and give it to you.”

“This is why you went to Mos Eisley last week,” Rey realized. “To get this for me.”

Ben nodded. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” Rey said, a bright smile on her face. “Thank you so much, Ben. You'll have to help me figure out where to hang it.”

“I'd be more than happy to do that,” Ben said, reaching for her hand. “I'll do anything you need me to.”

Rey went to speak but there was another cough from behind them. “My sincerest apologies again, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, but my lord, you are needed in the Privy Council room.”

“Tell them I will be right there,” Ben said without taking his eyes away from Rey. “I am glad you liked the roses and the painting. Are there any other flowers you like?”

“All of them,” Rey murmured, and Ben smiled. 

“That's good to know then. I will keep the painting for safekeeping until you decide where we should hang it. May I walk you to wherever you are needed?”

Rey nodded and they stood up, Ben holding out his arm to her. They left Ben's chambers and made their way to Rey's office, Ben pulling out her chair for her before saying he was looking forward to the celebrations that evening and leaving. Rey turned her attention to the paperwork in front of her, but she wasn't able to get Ben off her mind. 

She needed to stop wishing that he could love her. She needed to stop falling in love with him.

She needed to live in reality.

He didn't love her. He never would.


	8. Chapter 8

Rey had barely sat down for her afternoon of audiences when Finn introduced the people waiting first. “Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Armitage of Arkanis and Crown Princess Phasma of Parnassos, Your Majesty. They arrived this morning.”

Rey looked over at Finn in surprise as a man and woman stepped forward, bowing and curtsying respectively. “Your Majesty,” Armitage said. “It is an honor to finally meet you.”

“Welcome to Jakku,” Rey said, confused. “I must say, I was unaware that you were coming.”

“We would have come to visit sooner, my lady, but we were delayed by duties I needed to attend to,” Armitage said. “We have come so that we can meet you as you are now Ben's wife, and so I can introduce Phasma to you both as she is now mine.”

“I cannot wait to get to know the two of you,” Phasma said. “Armitage speaks so highly of Ben and Ben obviously thinks highly of you.”

“You know Ben?” Rey asked in response. If it wasn't for the fact that Arkanis was the next nation that her grandfather was trying to annex, she would just believe Armitage. But because Arkanis was, she could not view him under anything but a veil of suspicion.

Armitage nodded. “Yes, my lady. I've known him since we were children.”

That felt like it was a lie to Rey, but she did not want to expose them in the middle of a busy Throne Room. It would be far easier to go along with things for now and discover the truth later. “I will have you shown to rooms that you can stay in and I will let Ben know that you are here.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Armitage said, and then he bowed and Phasma curtsied. “We much appreciate your hospitality.”

“Lady Storm,” Rey called out, “make sure that Their Royal Highnesses are settled in one of the guest chambers, please.”

“Right away, Your Majesty,” Jannah said, curtsying quickly, and then the three of them walked away.

“Lord Storm,” Rey said, turning to look at Finn. “Where is Ben right now?”

Finn looked over at the clock. “I believe he just finished a Council meeting.”

“Send for him, please,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “I don't believe a word of what that Arkanisan prince just said to me.”

Finn stared at her for a moment but then nodded, calling an attendant to him and telling her to go and get Ben for them. “His Royal Highness should be here shortly, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Lord Storm,” Rey said, leaning back when she saw someone approach. 

“His Grace the Duke of Sarq, Your Majesty.”

Rey spent the next hour talking to the Duke of Sarq about the stately homes that were in her possession since he was in charge of the care of them. She was interested in knowing what was going on with them and what condition they were in, but she was far more interested in talking to Ben about Armitage and Phasma. Ben had arrived at the Throne Room nearly forty-five minutes ago and he was waiting in the antechamber. She kept attempting to end the audience but the Duke of Sarq kept talking, and it reached a point where Rey grew to be incredibly annoyed.

“Your Grace, as much as this conversation has been enlightening, you'll have to excuse me as I need to speak to my husband,” Rey said, standing up and climbing down from the throne before he could say another word. “Do come back tomorrow and we can continue this.”

Rey didn't wait to see if the Duke bowed in respect or not. She just walked straight into the antechamber and found Ben sitting in one of the chairs reading through some papers. He looked up at her and smiled, and Rey felt herself grow weak. She did not want to feel that way. She wanted to remain completely unaffected by his presence. But she no longer felt that way. She was so affected by his presence that sometimes she forgot what she wanted to say.

Ben's age and experience made him a man, a tall, dark, and handsome man that she was going to spend the rest of her life with. And at some point in time, they were going to have to share the bedroom that they were already supposed to be sharing, and they were going to have to kiss and take off each other's clothes and get as physically intimate with each other as was possible. They were going to have to have sex. At least until they produced an heir. After that, then sex would no longer be necessary unless they wanted to continue to partake in the act. 

Which they might. Rey knew that it could be a very pleasurable experience for both the man and the woman if done correctly. Rey knew nothing about how to do it correctly though. 

She wondered if Ben had ever had sex. 

Him having had a mistress while he was in Tatooine would not have been that much of a surprise. He was a prince, after all. Princes could get away with premarital sex much more than princesses could because the princesses could end up with child. No one wanted to deal with a pregnant, unmarried princess. Unless, of course, the princess was already engaged to the man that she had sex with like her mother had been with her father. Rey knew that she'd been born only six months after their wedding, and she knew that had been scandalous at court for a while. 

Why on earth she was thinking such things, she did not know. She was not going to be having sex with Ben anytime soon. Probably not for years.

“Rey,” Ben said, snapping Rey out of those thoughts and onto the situation at hand. “The message from Finn made this sound rather urgent.”

“Yes, and I am so sorry that it took me so long to get in here,” Rey said, walking over and sitting down next to him. “Do you know the Crown Prince of Arkanis?” 

Ben thought about that for a moment. “I met him when he came to Tatooine on a state visit with his father the King. It was sort of left to me to show him around. Why?”

“So you are close then?”

“No,” Ben said, shaking his head. “Nothing of the sort. Why?”

“Because my first audience today was with him,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “He has arrived with Crown Princess Phasma of Parnassos, who he claims is his wife.”

“That is true,” Ben said. “I remember that from the news. They married very quickly just as we did. But they are here?”

“Yes,” Rey said. “He said that he was a friend of yours who had come to meet me as I am now your wife and to introduce the two of us to the Crown Princess. I do realize that I would not know all of your friends among the other royal houses, but I immediately became suspicious. Because of the fact that my grandfather is circling Arkanis as the next nation for him to annex, it concerns me that a prince from there just showed up here without any warning. Or at least someone claiming to be a prince from there. And now that I know he has lied to me, I have become even more concerned.”

Ben reached out and took Rey's hands in his, squeezing them. “I'll go speak with him, see if it is actually him, and if I can work out why it is they are here. But for now, let's keep him as much at arms' length as we can. I'm not saying that you're right to be concerned, but I'm not saying that you're wrong to be either.”

Rey nodded and took a deep breath. “If there's another spy at court,” she started, but Ben shook his head. 

“No, no, you are not allowed to think like that, okay? Whatever it is, we're going to get through this together. I promise,” Ben soothed. 

Rey sat there for a moment before nodding. “I need to return to my duties.”

“Then I will go talk with the Crown Prince and see what is going on,” Ben said, and they both stood. “I will return when I have answers for you.”

“Thank you,” Rey breathed out, and Ben pulled her to him. 

“There is nothing to thank me for. This is my duty as your husband.”

Rey nodded and they parted ways, and as she sat down on the throne once more, all she could think about was that last sentence Ben had said.

_This is my duty as your husband._

That's what their marriage was to him. Duty. She couldn't really blame him for that. It was a duty she had forced him into, and there was no way that he was ever going to enjoy it.

**********

The door to Poe's office opened and Zorii walked in, bringing a smile to Poe's face. “Zorii. Just the person I wanted to see.”

“I figured as much since you had me summoned,” Zorii said, sitting down across from him. “What is it you need?”

“I have a task for you,” Poe said, shuffling around some papers on his desk. “It's nothing that goes beyond what you are already doing, really, but just something that I'd like you to observe and report back to me on should you spot something.”

“What are you talking about?” Zorii asked, confused. “I have enough work on my hands with what I'm doing.”

“I would just like you to please let me know if you happen to film anything that you would consider suspicious,” Poe said quietly. “We have reason to believe that there may be people here who are trying to seek the truth of what is happening and if we learn who that is and when they know things then we may be able to adjust our plans accordingly and still take Coruscant by somewhat of a surprise.”

“So you just want me to tell you if I film something I consider suspicious?” Zorii asked. “You do realize that what I would consider suspicious and what you would consider suspicious are two entirely different things, right?”

Poe sighed but nodded. “Yes, I do. But it is important that you do this for me, Zorii. Please.”

“Alright, I'll let you know if I film anything suspicious,” Zorii said, standing up. “Excuse me, Your Grace, but I need to go prepare to film Her Majesty's audiences for the afternoon.”

“Poe,” he said, drawing Zorii's attention back to him. “Please call me Poe.”

“I thought that dukes such as yourself needed to be addressed properly at all times,” Zorii said, shaking her head. “At least, that's what you spent my first two weeks here stressing to me while you tried to get me to memorize who everyone at court is.”

“It is important to address people properly at court,” Poe agreed. “But you can also address people by their names should they instruct you to. I think it is only time for you to address me by mine.”

“If that is what you wish, Poe.”

Poe broke out into a grin. “Would you be interested in having dinner in my chambers tonight?” he asked. “We can go over the progress of the documentary.”

Zorii stood there for a moment. “Would this dinner end the same way that the last one did?”

“If you would like it to. If not, I will understand.”

“I'll think about it,” Zorii said, headed to the door. “And if I do agree to end it the same way, you'll have to tell me what time your attendants will be showing up in the morning so that I know to get out of there beforehand instead of trying to sneak out without them noticing me in the morning like last time.”

Poe grinned. “Don't worry. I'll make sure that doesn't happen again.”

**********

Rey walked into the dining room where Ben was already waiting. He was talking with Armitage and Phasma but they all immediately stood, the two bowing and curtsying while Ben walked around the table and embraced his wife. “Darling.”

“Ben,” Rey said, trying to ignore the way Ben calling her darling made her feel and focus on the job at hand. 

Ben pulled out a chair for her and Rey sat down, motioning for everyone else to sit. She watched as an attendant poured her a glass of wine and then left the room, and as soon as she was certain the door was shut, she turned to her guests. “Your Royal Highnesses, it has come to my attention via my husband that you had a good reason to lie to me when I received you in the Throne Room. Do tell me what that reason is.”

“The reason, Your Majesty, is that Arkanis is suffering,” Armitage said. “We need allies to help defend our small nation. We also know that your nation is threatened by the same people who are trying to oppress us. You need allies as well. So I am here on behalf of my father the King to offer you the Arkanisan army in your endeavors to defeat the Empire and bring peace back to the world.”

Rey looked over at Ben and he nodded. “And I am just supposed to believe you.”

“I thought that you might not, my lady, but my father sent along this letter for you to read,” Armitage said, handing it over. “I think you'll find his words to be honest.”

Rey took the paper Armitage held out and read through the letter twice before sighing. “Your father feels that my grandfather has already poisoned your mother and that is why she died. That is why he suspects that the Emperor might be behind my parents' poisoning. Your Royal Highness, I appreciate that concern, but I...”

“You should listen to him,” Phasma said, cutting Rey off and earning a glare from the Queen. “My apologies, Your Majesty, but I just want you to know that Armitage speaks the truth, as does his father. The marriage between the two of us is an alliance for any coming conflicts. If you accept the help of the Arkanisan army, you will be gaining the Parnassosan army as well.”

Rey sat there for a moment. “How did you discover what I want to do?”

“Your ambassador approached my father about making an alliance to help repel an invasion force some months ago,” Armitage said. “We knew from then that you wanted to engage in some kind of conflict against the Empire, but that was deemed a suicide mission by my father. However, as time has gone on and what the Empire plans to do to Arkanis has become more clear, my father no longer views your take as a suicide mission but instead as a necessary one. Whatever it is you are planning to do, my lady, you have the Arkanisan and Parnassosan armies at your disposal.”

Rey turned to Ben. “What do you think of all of this?”

“I think that we can believe what he is saying,” Ben replied. “My grandfather has a good relationship with the King of Arkanis. I can't imagine that the King would want to anger him by leading his grandson and heir into a trap. Besides, I think when he says that he agrees that something must be done about the Emperor that he means it. I have never known the King of Arkanis to lie for his own gain.”

Rey sat there while attendants came into the room to set plates in front of them, and once the room was cleared again, she sighed. “You must understand why it is difficult for me to know who to trust at this point.”

“We do understand, Your Majesty,” Phasma said. “But we really are here to help.”

Rey studied Armitage and Phasma as they began to eat, listening to them talk idly with Ben. Half her meal was gone before she spoke again. “Alright. I am going to choose to trust you. I need your armies too much.”

“I am glad to hear that, my lady,” Armitage said. “It is something that we are more than happy to participate in. What is your plan, exactly?”

Rey looked over at Ben and he nodded. “Exact plans are being kept very quiet, but we mean to march on Coruscant to overthrow and kill the Emperor.”

Armitage and Phasma's eyes went wide. “You plan to kill the Emperor?” she asked. “That's madness.”

“Perhaps,” Rey said, “but that's the plan.”

“We have come up with a way that we think will do it, but we have not had enough men for such an attack. If we can combine your forces with ours, that will help make things easier, but it will still be a challenge. The Imperial army will still outnumber us considerably,” Ben said. “Still, every bit helps.”

“I am more than happy to begin to talk plans and tactics with you soon, Your Royal Highness,” Armitage said.

“Later this evening in her equerry's chambers,” Ben said. “You cannot be seen to go into the Council room.”

Armitage nodded as Rey took a drink from her wine. “The Crown Princess and I will have dinner together tomorrow so that we may get to know one another better,” she said as she set her glass down. “We need to maintain this notion that you two are good friends and that you are here for the reason you stated in the Throne Room.”

“It would be an honor to have dinner with you, my lady,” Phasma said. “But please, do call me Phasma.”

“Then I will do so, Phasma,” Rey said, smiling at her. “Now, shall we discuss something else? How was your trip to Jakku?”

As they fell into conversation, all Rey could think was that she hoped her trust in them was not misplaced.

**********

Poe leaned back in his chair as one of his attendants cleared the plates off the table. “Alexander, that will be all for the night. You and everyone else are dismissed.”

“Yes, my lord,” Alexander said. “Have a good evening, Your Royal Highness, Your Grace, Lord Storm.”

When Alexander had left the room and Ben was certain that everyone was gone from Poe's chambers, he ran his hands over his face. “I don't know what to do.”

“About what, Your Royal Highness?” Finn asked, reaching for his glass of wine. “That's not exactly specific.”

“Since the plans are progressing well,” Poe said, “I think this has to be about the Queen.”

Ben groaned. “It wasn't supposed to be like this.”

“Be like what, my lord?” Finn asked.

Ben closed his eyes while trying to decide if he wanted to tell them the truth or not. They were his friends but they were also Rey's, and anything he told them they could go tell her. But in the end, he chose to let them know what he was thinking. “I wasn't supposed to fall in love with her.”

Poe and Finn's eyes widened. “You're in love with her?” Poe asked.

“I could be,” Ben said softly. “I really could be. And that's not a good thing.”

“How can you think that's not a good thing?” Finn asked. “I would think being in love with your wife would be a great thing.”

“Yes, I suppose it would be, but only if your wife loved you in return. I do not think that Rey could ever love me in that way, so the fact that I might love her like that is a problem that I don't know what to do about.” Ben reached for his glass of wine and drank some of it down. “Never mind. Let us turn to what we are supposed to be discussing.”

“My lord, perhaps we should talk about this instead,” Poe said carefully.

“Ben. Just call me Ben. We are friends now, and it makes little sense that you can call Rey by her given name and not me by mine,” he said, sighing. “And I do not know what good talking about it would do. It will not change my feelings nor hers.”

“I think that you may be unaware of any feelings she may have, just as she is unaware of any feelings that you have for her,” Finn said, knowing from talking with Rose that was the case.

Ben sucked in a deep breath. “Don't say that to me.”

“He only speaks the truth, Ben,” Poe said. “It is entirely possible that Rey has feelings for you as well.”

“You don't say that to me either.”

“You really should just broach the subject with her,” Finn replied. “She deserves to know how you feel.”

“We need to talk about the march on Coruscant,” Ben said, trying to change the subject, but there was a knock at the door before another word could be said. 

“Excuse me,” Poe said, getting up and walking to the door. When he opened it up, he saw Zorii on the other side. “Zorii, now is not the time.”

“Yes, it is,” Zorii said, shoving her way past him into the room. “I have video that you need to see.”

“Zorii, I have guests,” Poe said, watching as she set her camera down on a table. “This is not the time for this.”

“Is it the Prince and Lord Storm? Because they need to see this too.”

“See what?” came Ben's voice, and Poe looked up to watch him walk into the room. “Miss Bliss, this is unexpected.”

“My name is Zorii, Your Royal Highness,” she stressed again, pulling the video card out of her camera. “Poe, tell me that you have a player for this.”

Finn walked into the room and gave Poe an amused look. “Poe?”

“Shut up,” he murmured, walking over to the television and pulling out the video card player. “Zorii, are you sure this can't wait?”

“You told me to let you know if I saw anything suspicious,” Zorii said, hooking up the player and sticking the video card into it. “Well, I filmed something suspicious.”

Before anyone could say another word, the television came to life and the corridor that the Privy Council room was in came on the screen. “I was getting some general shots of the art on the walls in this section of the castle, and then I saw this. I thought the Imperial Ambassador being in the Privy Council room when it was empty, especially at this time of night, to be strange.”

Ben walked closer to the television as the door to the Privy Council room opened, taking a shuddering breath when Snoke walked out. “He knows.”

“He has to,” Finn said, walking up behind him. “Which means we have to assume that the Emperor knows too.”

“We need to inform the Queen,” Poe said quickly. “I will do that.”

“No,” Ben murmured. “It's my job to tell her, not yours.”

Ben started walking towards the door before another word could be said. “I'll meet you all back here once I've talked to her. We have a lot that needs to happen very quickly now.”

Ben walked out of the room and Zorii stood up, turning to look at Poe. “What is happening?”

“We believe Lord Snoke is not here to be the Imperial Ambassador but instead to spy on the Queen and the Prince,” Poe said, looking over at Finn, who nodded. “We think that the Emperor wishes to find out the truth of their marriage.”

Zorii gave him a confused look. “The truth of their marriage?”

“You mean you did not figure this out when you were in Mos Eisley with us?” Finn said. “Theirs is no love match.”

“What?” Zorii asked.

“The King of Tatooine's price for helping us to march on Coruscant was for the Queen to marry the Prince. It is little more than a marriage of alliance,” Poe said, and Zorii walked over to him, smacking him on the shoulder. 

“You are supposed to be keeping me informed of these things, Poe. This is not keeping me informed!”

“I didn't have permission to keep you informed on this!” Poe exclaimed. “I told you that I can only tell you what I have permission to tell you!”

Zorii turned around and grabbed the video card from the player, sticking it back into her camera and heading towards the door. “I don't know why I even spend time with you.”

When the door shut, Finn turned to Poe, bemused. “You want to tell me something?”

“Shut up,” Poe said, shoving him in the shoulder before heading back to the dining room. “I need to get things set up for when Ben gets back. You go send for Snap and the Crown Prince. There's a lot to prepare for now.”

**********

Rey swallowed hard and collapsed down onto the sofa. “Snoke knows.”

“We have to assume so,” Ben said, sitting down next to her. “Which means that things are going to happen very quickly now.”

“I'm going with you when you march,” Rey said out of nowhere. “I will not let my men go into battle without a rallying cry from their Queen.”

“Rey,” Ben said, reaching for her hand. “A battle is no place for you to be. You do not know how to fight.”

Rey looked over at him. “I am going with you.”

“I can handle this. This is what I have been trained to do. You have not,” Ben said. “You do not even know how to defend yourself if needed.”

“My father once taught me how to use a sword. I want you to refresh my memory so that I am sure that I am doing it correctly,” Rey said seriously. “That way when I am with the army I will know for sure that I can protect myself if need be.”

“I do not think this is a very good idea, Rey,” Ben said, but Rey stood up. 

“I am going to Coruscant with my men. Nothing you say is going to stop me. I will have someone else teach me how to use a sword if necessary. I refuse to let my men think that I don't care to be there with them for this.”

Ben stared up at her, felt his love for her grow at seeing her determination, and did the first thing he could think of. He stood up, reached for her, and drew her into a kiss. Rey went slack against him and Ben pulled back, embarrassed by his actions. “Rey, I...”

“Kiss me again,” Rey murmured, and Ben smiled before pressing their lips together. 

He deepened the kiss as Rey's hands threaded into his hair, and they kissed until they were breathless. They both had smiles on their faces when they broke apart, and Ben caressed the side of Rey's face. “That was nice.”

“That was amazing,” Rey replied. “We need to do that more often.”

“I didn't know if you'd be interested in that or not,” Ben said softly. “I didn't want to force my feelings onto you.”

“You didn't,” Rey whispered, pulling Ben into another kiss. “I didn't want to force you to do something you didn't want to.”

“You didn't,” Ben answered, kissing her again. “I just fell in love with you on my own.”

Rey grinned at him. “You love me?”

Ben sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “I've tried to tell myself that I don't, but I can't lie to myself anymore. It's perfectly fine if you don't love me back. It really is.”

“No, it's not,” Rey stated, shaking her head when Ben tried to speak. “But that doesn't matter because I love you too.”

Ben broke out into a large smile and pulled Rey into another kiss, holding her as close as he could. This wasn't how his life was supposed to have gone, but he'd ended up with Rey because of it, and he would be thankful for that for the rest of their lives. 

Now he just had to make sure that they were both around to live them.

“I will make sure you know how to use a sword,” Ben said when they broke apart. “But I still think this is a terrible idea.”

“I am not going to rest here in Niima until I know that my grandfather has been killed,” Rey said seriously. “In fact, I want to be the one who kills him.”

“Rey,” Ben started, but she had that determined look that he had come to learn meant that she would not be swayed from her position. “I will do my best to make that happen.”

Rey smiled at him. “Can you stay or do you have to go?”

“I have to go work on plans with Poe and Finn. I think Snap and Armitage will probably be there by the time I get back as well,” Ben said, caressing the side of Rey's face. “But I can stay for a little bit longer.”

“Good,” Rey said softly, pulling Ben back to her. “Because I'd really like you to kiss me again.”

When their lips met, Rey knew that this was what had been meant to happen the entire time. They were meant to love each other. And there was no way she would ever let someone come between them, no matter how much she knew her grandfather was about to ramp up his manipulations.


	9. Chapter 9

“Your Majesty,” came Snoke's voice, and Rey turned around to see him approaching her. “How wonderful to find you outside. It is a lovely day.”

Rey took a deep breath and then forced a smile onto her face. “Yes, it is. How does today find you, Ambassador?”

“Very well, my lady,” Snoke said, falling into step next to her. “I have been needing to speak with you though.”

Rey knew that more attempts at manipulation were about to come. Snoke had been doing subtle maneuvers over the course of the last two weeks, trying to make Rey think that Ben had plans to take full control of Jakku instead of allowing her to reign, saying that her grandfather only had her best interests at heart when it came to sharing this information. “How may I help you, Ambassador?”

“My lord the Emperor has requested that I inform you of Lothal's coming attack. He feels as though you are focused on other areas and that you are not prepared for such an invasion.”

That wasn't what Rey had been anticipating Snoke saying, and she took a moment to think of how to respond. “He has mentioned an attack coming from Lothal to me in the past, but I have been told of no intelligence that this attack is incoming. I am curious to know why he would know and not my military leaders.”

“Because again I tell you that the Prince Consort does not have your best interests at heart,” Snoke said. “If he allows Lothal to come in and weaken Jakku, then that makes your nation easy for Tatooine to take over.”

“I do not believe that the King of Tatooine would invade his granddaughter-in-law's sovereign nation,” Rey said, starting to become annoyed with this. “And I do not believe that he would seek Lothal's help in doing so. Lothal has no quarrel with Jakku.”

“That you are aware of, my lady. But if a deal has been struck between the King of Lothal and the King of Tatooine, then quarrel can be created quite quickly.”

Rey spotted Armitage and Phasma admiring the flowers up ahead and she turned to Snoke with a forced smile. “I will keep that in mind, Ambassador. But for now, I must attend to what I came out here for.”

Snoke bowed immediately. “Of course, Your Majesty. I am available to speak with whenever you deem it necessary.”

“Thank you, Ambassador,” Rey said, turning and heading towards Armitage and Phasma as quickly as possible without making it seem like she was fleeing from him. 

Phasma looked up as Rey approached, a bright smile on her face. “You have the most amazing collection of rose bushes, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Phasma,” Rey said, looking around. “I do so love all of the colors.”

“The blue ones are especially striking, my lady. I have never seen blue roses before.”

“I am told that they are only native to Jakku,” Rey said, reaching out to caress the petals of one. “A product of the Great Disaster.”

“Was the radiation worse here than in other parts of the world?” Armitage asked.

“That is the belief, though as with everywhere else, we have yet to adequately be able to gauge the nuclear damage to the countryside,” Rey said, motioning for them to follow her when she noticed Snoke getting close to them. “I am glad that you two agreed to join me out here. Ben is quite busy this morning and it is one of the few mornings when I do not have a lot of obligations.”

Armitage and Phasma exchanged a glance before he held out his arm to her. “It is our honor, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, my lady, it is an honor,” Phasma added.

“Allow me to show you the Ferressee Sunken Garden,” Rey said, leading them around a bend in the path. “Only the monarchs and their personal guests are allowed inside.”

They reached the entrance of the garden and were let in by the knights standing guard. Rey led them through the paths, pointing out various different flowers and plants, before they arrived at a small building. They went inside and once Rey had shut the door behind them, she let out a frustrated scream. “Snoke is trying to convince me that Tatooine is going to invade after an attack by Lothal.”

“Where has he come up with this attack from Lothal?” Armitage wondered. “It seems so against everything King Ezra stands for. Lothal's conflict with Dantooine came from an attack by Dantooine, not the other way around.”

“I don't know, but my grandfather has been trying to convince me of this coming threat ever since my coronation,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “Ben told me that you are leaving tomorrow. Is this true?”

“Yes, my lady,” Phasma said. “We need to return so that the armies may be prepared.”

“And it is you who will lead both armies into battle, Armitage?” Rey asked.

“Yes, my lady,” Armitage said. “We have a plan in place for how both armies will be used.”

“Then I wish you both well on your journey home and Armitage, I will see you when our armies rendezvous,” Rey said, making them both give her curious looks. 

“I'm sorry, Your Majesty?” Armitage said.

“I will be riding with my men to Coruscant,” Rey replied. 

“My lady,” Armitage started, but Phasma interrupted him.

“Then I will see you when we rendezvous because I will be doing the same with mine.”

Armitage looked at his wife with wide eyes. “This is the first I'm hearing of this!”

“It is what is happening whether you like it or not,” Phasma said firmly, making Rey giggle.

“That sounds like me when I told Ben that I was going with the men.”

“We will be having a discussion about this on the way back to Arkanis,” Armitage said seriously. “I am not letting you put yourself in harm's way.”

“Do not worry about that. I know my way around a sword,” Phasma said, shaking her head. “Women of Parnassos take things seriously and are trained.”

“Your Majesty!” came a cry from outside, and Rey sighed heavily. 

“It sounds as though I must go. Shall we?”

“We will succeed, my lady,” Armitage said as they walked towards the door. 

Rey sighed heavily. “I certainly hope so, Armitage, because I don't know what I'm going to do if we don't.”

**********

Rose was in Rey's dining room making sure everything was arranged for her dinner with Ben when Jannah came into the room. “The Alderaanian ambassador is here requesting a private audience with the Queen.”

“I'll handle this,” Rose said, heading to where the ambassador was in one of the sitting rooms. “Ambassador Antilles.”

“Lady Tico. I hope that the day finds you well,” Raymus Antilles said. “I need to speak with Her Majesty urgently.”

“Her Majesty is not taking audiences again until tomorrow afternoon,” Rose started, but Raymus walked closer to her and dropped his voice low.

“I must speak with her now, Lady Tico. Alderaan is prepared to offer its support in a coming conflict.”

Rose's eyes widened and she nodded. “Please wait, Ambassador. I will go speak to the Queen.”

“Thank you, Lady Tico,” Raymus said, and Rose turned and left.

She walked through all of the rooms that made up Rey's chambers, unable to find her, until where she most likely was entered her mind. She walked to the door that led into the bedroom she was supposed to share with Ben and knocked on the door rapidly. “Your Majesty? Are you in there? I must speak with you.”

“Not now, Rose!” came Rey's voice, and Rose bit back a smile when she heard Ben murmur something to her. 

“My apologies, Your Majesty, but it simply cannot wait. Ambassador Antilles is waiting for you.”

Rose stood there for a couple of minutes before the door opened and Rey walked out of the room, her swollen lips and slightly tousled hair letting Rose know exactly what had been happening behind those closed doors. “I am sorry for interrupting you, Your Majesty.”

“This better be worth it,” Rey said sharply, but she had a smile on her face while doing so.

“I will see you later, Rey,” came Ben's voice from inside the room, but Rose called out before he could leave. 

“I believe that you might also be interested in what the ambassador has to say, Your Royal Highness.”

Ben stopped and turned towards them, walking forward when Rey nodded. “Then let us hear him.”

Ben held out his arm to Rey when he was close enough and then Rose led them to the room where Raymus was waiting. “Ambassador Antilles, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness.”

“Thank you, Lady Tico,” Rey said, and Rose recognized that she had been dismissed. “Please keep us from being interrupted.”

“Of course, my lady,” Rose said, and she curtsied and left the room.

Rey watched as Raymus bowed before her. “I must say, Ambassador, that it is very rare that I take audiences outside of normal hours and even rarer to take one in my private chambers.”

“I recognize that, Your Majesty, and I thank you for doing so. I just felt that this could not be discussed in front of the court given how you've been trying to keep things so quiet.”

Rey became confused and sat down on the sofa, motioning for Ben and Raymus to do the same. “I am sorry, Ambassador, but I do not know what you are speaking of.”

“Her Majesty the Queen and His Excellency the Viceroy went on a state visit to Tatooine this past week, and while there, they had many conversations with the King, the Crown Prince, and the Duke of Corellia about the threat to the world that is the Empire,” Raymus said. 

“They spoke with my grandfather, father, and uncle about the Empire?” Ben asked, surprised. “Why would they do so?”

“Because they fear that Alderaan is his next target,” Raymus said. “It has not been made public knowledge, but someone attempted to poison the Queen two months ago. It is thought that the Emperor is behind the attempt, just as he was behind the poisoning of your parents.”

Rey's breath caught in her throat. “I do not know of what you speak,” she began, but Raymus shook his head. 

“I know that you do, my lady. The Queen and Viceroy have been monitoring the developments with the Empire's annexation of sovereign nations and your own search for alliances. They were surprised not to be asked to form one with Jakku.”

“I was told that they would be no help to me,” Rey replied. “I directed my attention elsewhere because of it.”

“I can understand why it was you did so, my lady, but the Queen and Viceroy are prepared to offer up the might of the Alderaanian army to help your fight against the Empire,” Raymus said, and Rey and Ben were both shocked. 

“I'm sorry, Ambassador?” Rey said after a moment. “I don't believe I heard you right.”

“The Queen and Viceroy are prepared to offer up the might of the Alderaanian army to help your fight against the Empire,” Raymus said again.

“Alderaan is a peaceful nation,” Ben said. “They do not seek out conflicts.”

“No, we do not, but when there is the possibility of worldwide destruction such as what is feared the Empire could do, then there is only one choice to maintain peace, and that is to fight for it,” Raymus said. “The Queen and the Viceroy are aware of the stakes. They feel that this is a risk that must be taken.”

Rey sat there, unable to believe what she was hearing, and Ben reached for her hand. “Ambassador,” he said, “how soon can we begin planning with the Commander-in-Chief of the Alderaanian army?”

“The Viceroy is the Commander-in-Chief and he remains in Tatooine, my lord,” Raymus said. “He is willing to come here to help with the plans but does not want to alert anyone at court to our help should there be spies.”

“There are spies, yes,” Rey murmured. “Ambassador Snoke. And he is aware of our plans, we believe, though not of this.”

“Is there a place where the Viceroy may go that is not Onyx Palace?” Raymus asked. “Somewhere that you can meet with him, my lord, and go over plans without anyone knowing about it.”

“I do not know where that would be,” Ben said, but Rey stood up immediately. 

“I will return momentarily. I must ask a question before I can answer this one.”

Rey walked out of the room and headed out into the corridor, going straight to Poe's chambers and requesting entrance. She was surprised to find Zorii having dinner with him when she was let in, but Poe peered at her in concern and she got her mind back on track. “The Alderaanians offer up their army to our cause.”

Poe's eyes went wide. “What?”

“The ambassador has just told me and Ben. The Viceroy is in Tatooine and needs to come here for planning but we cannot have him at the castle or Snoke will know what is happening. I thought of one of the stately homes but I do not know which one,” Rey said, taking a deep breath. “An ally, Poe. We're getting another ally.”

“That is wonderful, Rey,” Poe said, smiling at her. “Send the ambassador here and I will help arrange for a place for the Viceroy to stay. We will then schedule in a retreat for you and Ben to go there along with only trusted members of your inner circle. There we can begin to incorporate the Alderaanian army into our plans.”

“I will do so,” Rey said, looking over at where Zorii was standing. “Do you have your camera, Miss Bliss?”

“No, Your Majesty, but I can go retrieve it.”

“Please do. I want this on film unless Ambassador Antilles is insistent that it isn't,” Rey said, turning to leave. “Come to tell me what has been decided early in the morning, Poe. I do not want to be disturbed for the rest of the night.”

“Yes, my lady,” Rey heard as she walked out the door. 

She made her way back to her chambers and the room where Ben was still talking with Raymus. “Ambassador, please go and speak with the Duke of Yavin. He will make arrangements on a stately home in the countryside for the Viceroy to stay in. Once he is there, the Prince and I will take a short retreat and head there so that plans can be made.”

Raymus stood and bowed. “I will do so, Your Majesty. Thank you.”

“No, Ambassador,” Rey said, a smile on her face. “Thank you. Please pass that along to your Queen.”

“I will do so,” Raymus said again before bowing and exiting the room. 

Ben went to Rey and pulled her into his arms, and Rey buried her head against his shoulder. “Allies, Ben,” she murmured. “I'm getting allies.”

Ben smiled and pulled her into a kiss. “Yes, Rey, you are. And with every new soldier added to our cause, the chance we have to defeat him gets bigger.”

Rey let out a shuddering breath. “We're going to do this, Ben.”

Ben nodded and kissed her again. “We're going to do this or die trying, and I have no plans to die.”

Rey smiled and took him by the hand, leading him towards the dining room. “Come, our food must surely be here by now.”

Allies. Jakku was gaining allies.

And her grandfather had no idea that it was happening.

**********

After a week's stay at a stately home in the countryside where incorporation of the Alderaanian army was put into the plans, things began to move at a pace that Rey did not anticipate happening. When they returned to Onyx Palace, it was to find that the Lothalian ambassador wished to speak with Rey and Ben in private, and when they did, they learned Lothal was offering up its help as well. After Lothal volunteered, so did Naboo, Chandrila, and Mandalore, and with every report Rey received in the evenings from Ben on how things were doing, the gap in size between their coalition army and the Imperial army closed.

But still, they needed more men.

And then Garazeb Orrelios, a former ambassador from Ryloth, arrived at court and requested a private audience with Rey. Zeb, as he preferred to be known, was as friendly as Rey remembered him from when she was a child, but her nerves were frayed and she needed to know why he was there. She asked him point-blank why he had traveled all that way to speak with her privately, and when he said that he carried a message from Queen Hera, Rey didn't want to get her hopes up. 

But the message was what she'd wanted it to be. Ryloth would join their cause. 

When she ended the audience, she sent for Ben and went into the bedroom they still weren't sharing, knowing that he would know to find her there. By the time Ben arrived, Rey had collapsed onto the floor in tears.

They finally had more men than the Imperial army.

“Rey,” Ben asked, concerned, as he walked into the room. “What is it? What's happened?”

Rey didn't respond so Ben got down on the floor next to her, pulling her into his arms and rocking her back and forth. “Whatever it is, Rey, it will be alright. Just tell me what's wrong.”

“Nothing's wrong,” Rey got out, pulling back to give Ben a watery smile. “Things are wonderful.”

“I am confused,” Ben said, reaching up to wipe away her tears. “If things are wonderful, then why are you crying?”

“Ryloth,” Rey breathed out. “Ryloth will join us.”

Ben sat there as the implications hit him. “We have enough men,” he eventually said.

“We have enough men,” Rey confirmed. “And now we need to finalize those plans and march.”

“We will need another meeting at the stately home,” Ben said. “Planning here is just too much of a risk.”

“I agree,” Rey said. “I'll have Poe arrange it.”

“Your Majesty!” came Poe's voice from out in her chambers. “I must speak with you immediately!”

“What is all that about?” Rey wondered, and Ben helped her off the floor.

“Let's go find out.”

They walked out into Rey's chambers and found Poe in one of the sitting rooms. “Poe, what is it?”

“Ambassador Snoke has abruptly left court, my lady,” Poe said, bowing quickly. “He is believed to be traveling back to Coruscant.”

Rey took a deep breath. “He knows we're close and has gone back to prepare the Imperial army.”

“Yes,” Poe said, nodding. “That is why we must muster the armies now.”

Rey looked over at Ben and he nodded. “It's our best chance to still take them by surprise.”

“Then we will muster the armies,” Rey said, turning back to Poe. “Please speak with all the pertinent ambassadors and Ambassador Orrelios as well. Tell them it is time to muster their armies.”

“Ambassador Orrelios?” Poe asked, confused.

“Ryloth has pledged itself to our cause,” Rey got out, trying desperately not to cry again. “I have just learned of this not half an hour ago.”

Poe broke out into a big smile. “I will go speak with him immediately. When everyone has been informed, I will return and we can decide what to tell the court.”

Rey nodded and Poe bowed before quickly leaving the room. Ben pulled Rey back to him and held her close. “We are walking into the unknown now. No amount of planning can actually prepare you for the horrors of war.”

“I am sure. But sometimes the horrors of war are necessary,” Rey murmured.

“I cannot promise you that this is going to work out well for anyone,” Ben said softly. “Not for me, not for you, not for Jakku. But I will give my life to make it happen if that's what it takes.”

“Don't say that to me,” Rey breathed out. “I need you.”

“And I need you,” Ben replied. “Which is why I'm going to ask you again to stay behind. I can handle this along with your other generals.”

“I know you can,” Rey murmured. “But I'm going anyway.”

Ben nodded and then Rey pulled him into a passionate kiss. “How long until you think we can march?”

“Two days,” Ben said. “We are prepared to leave quickly, as is everyone else.”

“And our rendezvous point is still Alderaan?”

“Yes.”

Rey took a deep breath and kissed Ben again. “Then I suppose we have two nights.”

Ben gave her a confused look. “Two nights?”

“To share our bedroom,” Rey said softly. “Unless you do not want to.”

Ben grasped both sides of her face and made sure Rey was looking at him. “Do you mean what I think you mean?”

Rey nodded. “If we are to win this war but you not survive, we should have at least made an attempt at creating an heir.”

“I see,” Ben said, but Rey broke out into a smile.

“That is the practical reason. The real one is that I want to. I want to feel you like that.”

Ben smiled down at her. “Then I will make sure that we are left alone tonight.”

“And so will I,” Rey said.

Ben pulled her closer and they stood locked in a deep kiss until they heard a small cough from behind them. “My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, but the Duke of Yavin has requested your presence in the Privy Council room.”

“Let Poe know that we will be right there, Jannah,” Rey said, and once they were alone again, she pulled Ben into another kiss. “Let's finish these duties today as quickly as possible so that we may have more time alone together tonight.”

Ben kissed her quickly and then held out his arm to her. “I think that is a wonderful idea.”

Rey took Ben's arm and then they walked into the corridor together, and as they made their way to the Privy Council room, she couldn't help but think she should be nervous for that night.

But she wasn't.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy Star Wars Day! May the Fourth Be With You. Final chapter tomorrow on Revenge of the Fifth.

The morning that the army was to set out for Alderaan, Rey went into her office to sign a few last papers. The first set of papers made Snap her regent while she was gone, it having been decided that he would stay behind due to his age and his role as Master of the Treasury. Snap promised not to make any decisions on anything that could not wait until Rey had returned, and Rey knew that she was leaving the country in trusted hands. Snap would rule wisely on that which he needed to rule, and he would keep everything running smoothly until she returned.

If she returned.

The second set of papers regarded the heirs to the throne. Should something happen to Rey, there was no one to succeed her, and she wanted a small succession in place should she perish in the coming conflict. Rose was placed second in line, Rey confident in her abilities to be Queen should that be necessary. She would be wise and just, calm and collected. She knew that the people around the court would respect her self-appointed successor and do whatever was necessary to help them. But still, Rose only ran the Queen's Household. Therefore, she was placed second in line.

Rey made Ben her named successor. The Kingdom of Jakku would turn to the Skywalkers for its future. Ben would find another wife and produce heirs, and Rey would be comforted in death by the fact that it was his lineage that would rule her country for the rest of time, just as theirs combined should have. She knew that she should tell him about what she'd done but found that she could not. Ben would just discover things upon his return to Niima, her last gift to him being the nation she loved more than anything.

They set out from Niima on a Sunday directly after lunch and they arrived in Alderaan on the following Friday around dinner. The Alderaanian army was already camped at their meeting site, as well as those from Arkanis, Parnassos, and Lothal. The Chandrilan army arrived the next morning, the Mandalorians on that evening, the Naboo on Sunday afternoon, and the Tatooinians arrived on Sunday night under the cover of darkness, Luke and Han at its head. 

Rey spent two days wondering where the Rylothians were before Ben told her that it had been decided they would join along the way instead of coming one direction to Alderaan and then going back in the same way in which they'd come. Relief flowed through her at his words and she turned her attention to the planning meetings that were underway between all the Commanders-in-Chief and their generals. Tactics that she didn't understand were traded back and forth until a plan was solidified that incorporated everyone, and it was determined they would set out for Coruscant in four days to give the generals a chance to relay the plans to all of their men before marching.

And then the night before they were to leave, a rider came into the camp.

“Her Majesty the Queen of Jakku! I must speak with Her Majesty the Queen of Jakku!”

Rey was dining with Ben, Luke, and Han in her tent when the call went out, and she quickly stood and made her way outside. Ben was by her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her waist as they approached the rider. The woman quickly climbed down off her horse and curtsied, speaking before she was spoken to. “Your Majesty, I am here to inform you that several battalions of the Imperial army entered Jakku's sovereign borders. They are believed to be marching on the capital.”

Rey became thankful for Ben's arm around her waist when she felt herself start to stumble, his grip on her tightening to keep her upright. “The battalions that we left behind for defense?”

“I believe they may have been slaughtered by this point, Your Majesty,” the woman said. “I am sorry.”

Rey turned and buried her face into Ben's shoulder, his other arm coming up to wrap around her. Ben pulled her as close as he could and turned his attention back to the rider. “And you, who are you? How do you know this?”

“My name is Kaydel Ko Connix, Your Royal Highness,” she said. “I live in the village of Dulathia right on Jakku's borders.”

“And near Dulathia is where we stationed the battalions,” Ben murmured. “Who sent you?”

“One of the battalions' generals was dining at the inn when the Imperial army approached. He quickly asked who could ride and when I said I could, he told me to take his horse and ride to this spot to inform the Queen,” Kaydel said. “I rode through the night to get here as quickly as I could. I did not stop.”

“Then you are in dire need of food and rest,” Ben said as he felt people come up behind them. “I will have someone tend to your horse and then take you to get some.”

“Thank you, my lord. I am appreciative of that,” Kaydel said, curtsying again.

Ben called out to one of his attendants and told them to help Kaydel, and then he turned Rey towards the tent and began to walk her back to it. Luke and Han were standing outside of it with a few generals when they returned, but Ben led Rey inside without saying a word to them. He knew that they entered the tent behind them but his sole focus was Rey. “Rey, I know that was hard to hear, but that is all the more reason that we need to focus on what we are doing tomorrow. We need to stop this from going any farther.”

“Niima is unprotected,” Rey got out, and Ben shook his head. 

“No, it's not. We planned contingencies should the Imperial army make their way into Niima. There are four battalions still stationed there under Snap's command. He will know what to do to protect the city.”

Rey took in a shuddering breath. “You didn't tell me that.”

“Because I didn't want you to concentrate on the fact that the Imperial army reaching Niima was a possibility,” Ben said, peering at her with concern when Rey pulled back. “I promise you, Snap will not let the city fall.”

Rey nodded and Ben bent forward and kissed her. “We need to finish this to whatever end it takes,” she murmured when he pulled back. “So we must leave first thing in the morning. It is a week's march to Coruscant City.”

“We are leaving before dawn has fully broken,” Ben reminded her.

“I am riding next to you at the front of the army,” Rey said suddenly. “I will not ride in the carriage as I did on the way here.”

“Rey,” Ben started, but she shook her head. 

“I am here to lead my army, Ben. I will be leading them.”

Ben nodded. “Then I will make sure there is a horse for you.”

Rey closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. “I am going to go find Kaydel and thank her for coming.”

Ben kissed her again and then Rey walked past everyone else and out of the tent. When Ben turned to face them, Luke and Han had big smiles on their faces, and it made him want to say something he knew he shouldn't in front of all the other generals. “We must be prepared to fight on our way there. I am not convinced that the Empire will not try to attack us on our journey.”

“I agree, Your Royal Highness,” one of the generals said. “We will go begin making sure each battalion commander is aware of that.”

“Thank you,” Ben said, and all the generals left, leaving him with his father and uncle. “Shall we finish dinner?”

“I think we shall talk about what we just witnessed more,” Luke said. “I thought you told me that you couldn't even kiss her.”

“Oh Ben,” Han said, shaking his head but laughing.

“That was my opinion when I still barely knew her,” Ben said, walking back to the table. “My opinion now differs.”

“I could tell,” Luke said, sitting down and picking up his fork from where he'd left it. “Please tell me this means that you've consummated your marriage now or I will get your father to help me lecture you about how it is a necessity.”

“The marriage has not yet been consummated?” Han asked with concern. “Ben.”

Ben did not want to answer that question, feeling it wrong to speak about the two incredibly special nights that he'd spent in Rey's arms, but he knew that answering it was necessary. This was not just about him making love to his wife. This was about the lines of succession to two very important realms. “Yes, it's been consummated. And that's all that I'm saying.”

“My father will be glad to hear that,” Luke said, and Ben bit back a groan. “He was not happy to have learned that it hadn't been when I returned from her coronation.”

“Well, it is no longer an issue,” Ben said, reaching for his wine. “Now can we please talk about something else?”

Luke and Han both laughed, but his father took pity on him. “Tell me more about these Jakkuvian tactics I'm supposed to convey to the generals. I want to make sure that I've got this correct before I speak to them this evening.”

“Gladly.”

**********

The march to Ryloth took three days. Rey spent each moment of the march on horseback at the front of the column, wearing a simple dress and a breastplate of armor. Ben was to her left the entire time, full armor on and a sword at his side. There was a sword at Rey's side too, hanging heavy off the belt around her waist, and while she knew that everyone was hoping that she didn't have to use it, she was praying that she did.

She was not lying when she said she wanted to be the one who killed her grandfather.

Upon arriving in Ryloth, they were met by Kanan, the Prince Consort, and Jacen, the Crown Prince. Jacen immediately went into a meeting with the other Commanders-in-Chief and generals, but Kanan said someone was waiting at the Tulara Palace to speak with Rey. Fully expecting it to be Queen Hera, Rey went with Kanan and was shocked to learn that it was instead her uncle, the Imperial Crown Prince. At first she felt that she had led the entire army into a trap, but then her uncle fell to his knees before her and begged for her mercy. 

Not for his father, but for the Coruscantian people. His father deserved everything that he had coming to him.

Her uncle was on her side.

After a lengthy talk with him, Rey asked Hera if her uncle may stay there until the battle was over and her grandfather killed. He was exactly the kind of person that the Coruscantian people needed on the throne once the evil reign of her grandfather was over and she did not want to risk something happening to him should he return to Coruscant City. Hera agreed and Rey thanked her for her generosity not only in allowing her uncle to stay but in offering up her people for this fight, and Hera told Rey something that stuck with her long after their audience together was over.

“Sometimes, Rey, you have to do what is right no matter the cost. My entire family and I will be killed if this fails, but if you don't try to help defeat evil when you can, then there is no point to life.”

When she arrived back at the camp, she told the gathered members of the royal houses what had occurred at the Tulara Palace. She could tell a few of them were skeptical, but Jacen spoke up and said that his mother would have had her uncle killed long before they arrived should she had felt that he was not to be believed. Luke then conceded that Rey would know her uncle better than any of them and that they should trust her judgment, but they all agreed, Rey included, that should they be wrong about him, they would reconvene this coalition army and remove him from the throne like his father.

Two days after arriving in Ryloth, Rey had just finished with breakfast when Finn approached her. She hadn't seen him in several days, and she smiled when he came into view. “Finn.”

“Your Majesty,” Finn said, bowing before her. “The Prince requests your presence.”

Rey did not like the sound of that. “What aren't you telling me?”

“It's not my place to, my lady,” was Finn's response, so Rey just followed him to where Ben was. 

He had his armor already on and was in deep discussion with a couple of generals when she approached, and as soon as Ben spotted her, he sent the generals away. “Rey.”

“What is going on?” Rey asked, noticing that large sections of the army were leaving. “I told you that I wanted to ride at the head of the column again when we left. We're not supposed to be leaving until tomorrow.”

“I know,” Ben said, turning his attention to Finn. “Go. Inform everyone that we leave immediately.”

Finn nodded and ran off, leaving Rey glaring at Ben. “Ben, I am not riding in the carriage. I am riding next to you.”

“When we march on Coruscant City? Yes. Into the battle we're about to go fight? Absolutely not.”

Rey's eyes widened. “Battle?”

“A scout came back and said that there are battalions of the Imperial army camped about an hour's march from here. They're trying to surprise us but we mean to surprise them instead,” Ben said, looking up and nodding when someone said something to him. “And you are staying here for that.”

“Ben,” Rey said, her breath caught in her throat. “You're going with them?”

“This is my job at your Commander-in-Chief, Rey,” Ben said softly. “I have to lead your men into battle.”

“Ben,” Rey murmured, and he reached for her.

“Rey, it is imperative that you stay here, alright? I need to know that you're safe.”

“But you might not be,” Rey managed to say, and all Ben could do was nod. 

“The horrors of war mean that there are casualties. It is a fifty-fifty chance if you live or die. And you know that.”

Rey stood there for a moment before nodding. “Come back to me,” she said firmly. “And that is an order.”

Ben gave her a wry smile. “I will do my best not to defy a direct order from my Queen.”

Rey swallowed hard. “You've never called me your Queen before.”

“You are,” Ben said, pulling Rey into a passionate kiss. “I have to go. I love you. Remember that.”

“I love you too,” Rey breathed out and Ben kissed her one more time before walking away. 

As she watched him get on his horse and ride off, Rey forced herself to remember her mother's strength whenever her father had rode off to battle. If her mother could face losing her father with such dignity and grace, then Rey could face losing Ben the same way. 

She made her way back to her tent and sat down at the table, listening to the sound of men marching around her until it fell silent. There were the murmurings of the knights of the Queen's Guard that were standing outside the tent, but beyond that, Rey could not hear a thing. She was alone, Ben might be about to die, and Rey had never felt so vulnerable in her life. She reached for the cup of wine that was left over from her breakfast, saw that it had been refilled, and drank the whole glass down.

After a few minutes, her eyes started getting heavy and her muscles loose, and the last thought she had before passing out was that Ben had probably just ridden off into a trap.

**********

The first thing that Ben noticed when they rode back into the camp was that Rey was not there waiting for him. He had anticipated her standing there as he got off his horse, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and never let go. The battle had tolled a heavy personal cost to him and he needed to be in the arms of the woman he loved before he could even begin to contemplate the words that would express his grief.

The battle had cost him his father, Han buried now in the Rylothian countryside and never to see Leia again.

He got off of his horse and looked around, still seeing Rey nowhere. He wondered if perhaps she was asleep as night had fallen, but he could not imagine that she had gotten much rest in the previous day. Still, he headed in the direction of her tent because that must be where she was anyway.

And then he saw the status of her tent.

Ben ran towards it, noting that the knights left to stand guard were all dead on the ground. He pulled the fabric to the side and surveyed the damage to the inside, table overturned, bed destroyed. He forced himself to take deep breaths as his eyes danced over everything, taking comfort in the fact that she did not appear to be lying dead anywhere, when what was written on the fabric that made up the back of the tent came into view.

_If you want her, Prince of Tatooine, come and claim her._

He sank to his knees and screamed, hearing people enter the tent behind him. He paid little attention to what they were saying until he felt one approach him from behind, and then he heard Poe ask someone to go and get Luke. “Rey,” was all he managed to say as Poe crouched down next to him.

“I've ordered a search of the camp for her body,” Poe said as carefully as he could, but Ben shook his head. 

“No, he has her,” he said quietly, pointing at where the words were written. “He's not going to kill her until he kills me.”

Poe stared at the words on the fabric for a few moments before nodding. “We're going to need you, Ben. She's going to need you.”

Ben sat there for a moment before nodding, and Poe helped him to his feet. “I'm going to gather everyone and let them know what has happened. The Crown Prince should be here soon. Stay with him for a while, okay? You need some time before you throw yourself into plans.”

“Her uncle,” Ben muttered. “He's at the palace.”

“I will make sure that he is questioned thoroughly,” Poe said, turning to see Luke walk in. “I will leave you now.”

Poe walked past Luke and Ben turned to him, and Luke saw nothing but anguish in his nephew's eyes. “He has Rey,” Ben got out, his voice far stronger than he'd been expecting. “The battalions were a distraction so they could take her.”

Luke tossed the helmet in his hands to the side and approached Ben, pulling him into an embrace. Ben stood there for a moment before the tears began to fall, and he rested his forehead against his uncle's shoulder and cried for both his father, who was already lost, and his wife, who may yet be. Luke murmured soothing phrases that sounded like words from his mother and grandmother, and eventually Ben pulled himself together.

“I need you to focus on the job in front of us, Ben,” Luke said seriously. “You constantly thinking of either of them is going to get you killed.”

“Do not worry,” Ben said, looking around the tent once more. “I have never been more focused in my life. Let's go figure out how to get my wife back and kill the man who took her.”

Ben walked past Luke and out of the tent, looking around for a moment before heading in the direction of the command center. He needed to be involved in every second of planning for what was to come.

**********

Rey groaned as she slowly woke, her head aching. Her eyes blinked open and she found that she was under a canopy, the bed below her as soft as her one back in Niima. She didn't know where she was or what had happened, but she knew one thing.

She wasn't in the tent anymore.

Rey pushed herself up onto her elbows and looked around the room she was in, finding it full of the finest furnishings that one could buy. She wondered for a moment if she'd ended up in the Tulara Palace and was still in Ryloth, but then the door to the room opened and Rey realized that she was somewhere far worse than that.

“Rey, darling,” came Sheev's voice. “I am so glad to see that you're awake. I was dreadfully worried about you.”

“I don't believe that for a second,” Rey spit at him.

“When are you going to realize that I only have your best interests at heart?” Sheev asked, walking to the table and pouring a glass of water. “I only had your parents' best interests at heart as well.”

“Which is why you had them killed,” Rey countered. “Did you think I didn't know? I've known since you arrived in Niima for their funerals.”

Sheev looked somewhat surprised at that before shaking his head. “I do not expect you to understand the things that I had to do, child. They were necessary.”

“Just as I suspect killing me will be,” Rey said, watching as Sheev came closer to her and held out the glass. “I am not drinking whatever you have laced that with.”

“I do not want to kill you, Rey,” Sheev said, laughing. “After all, who will rule Jakku for me if not my beloved granddaughter?”

“Jakku is not yours,” Rey said strongly. “Jakku will never be yours.”

“At this moment, no,” Sheev said, giving Rey a creepy smile. “But in a matter of days? Then it will be.”

“You will have to kill me before I give you Jakku.”

“If that is what it takes, it may come to that,” Sheev said, setting the glass on the bedside table and walking over to the window. “I must say, you did well for yourself. Chandrila, Lothal, Ryloth. But perhaps the most surprising is Alderaan. How did you ever convince the Queen of Alderaan to forgo her foolish pacifist ways and order her people to fight on your behalf?”

Rey stayed silent, making Sheev laugh again. “Your ways do not matter, Rey. They will all be taken care of for helping you. I cannot have such a rebellion in my worldwide Empire. I am merely curious.”

“It helps to want to defeat an evil murderer who steals sovereigns' nations away from them and then strips them of their autonomy,” Rey responded.

“I do not know why you think that is what I do,” Sheev said. “They are given every opportunity to cooperate.”

“Like my aunt the Hosnian Queen?” Rey asked. “That's what my father was supposed to do with my mother, correct? Sweet talk her into giving her nation to you?”

“Well, he was supposed to give me a grandson as well. I cannot tell you how disappointed I became as the years went on knowing that I would have to deal with a girl when it came to this point. At least with a grandson, I would have had someone I trusted be able to still run Jakku for me. But you, you have proven to be too much like your mother. A spineless, pathetic bitch who wasn't even able to breed properly.”

Rey felt anger burn through her. “My mother was strong, stronger than you will ever know. And she was capable of love, something which you quite clearly are not.”

“Love is pointless,” Sheev snapped. “Love is worthless. Love achieves nothing.”

“Love is everything,” Rey said, thinking about it for a moment before something came to her. “My grandmother didn't love you, did she? You fell in love with her and not the other way around, so you got what you needed out of her and then got rid of her.”

“Your grandmother's death was a tragedy,” Sheev said, pausing for a moment. “But it was a necessary one. Just as yours will be.”

“Ben won't let that happen.”

Sheev spun around at that. “Oh, yes, dear Ben. How could I forget your marriage of alliance? Did you really think that I would not be able to tell?”

“I love him,” Rey said honestly. “Your spy posing as my ambassador might have told you otherwise, but that is the truth.”

“We shall see if it is,” Sheev said, shaking his head. “We'll see if your dear prince comes to rescue you or not. I hope he does, for the record. I am so looking forward to killing Anakin Skywalker's heir. The Crown Prince is useless and will most likely be taken care of on the battlefield. But it is Ben that has always been Anakin's great hope. I look forward to destroying that hope.”

Rey felt her heart jump into her throat. “You will never destroy our hope,” she forced herself to say.

“When he arrives here and I capture him, I look forward to bringing him before you so you can say your goodbyes,” Sheev spit out. “And then I look forward to killing dear Ben right in front of you.”

Sheev spun around and walked out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Rey heard the lock be done up and then collapsed back onto the bed, unsure of what she felt more. 

Anger at what her grandfather planned to do or fear for the fact that he might actually do it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there's a bit of violence in this chapter, FYI. somebody dies by the sword. I suppose that depending on your definition of graphic that it could be, but I don't think it's worth the Graphic Description of Violence tag so I'm leaving it off. But there's your warning.

Ben questioned the Imperial Crown Prince for nearly an hour before he decided to believe Rey's uncle when he said he had played no part in what had happened to his wife. Her uncle's expertise in the tactics of the Imperial army then became invaluable, and by the time that the army rode out from Ryloth towards Coruscant City two days later, Ben felt like they had a pretty good plan in place to deal with them. 

They met battalions of the Imperial army in battle three times before they reached Coruscant City, taking heavy losses. As the city came into view, the tall towers of the Imperial Palace looming over them, Ben took a deep breath and said a silent prayer that Rey was still alive.

_I'm coming, darling. Stay strong._

As they got closer to the city, it became apparent that the rest of the Imperial army was guarding it, so that meant that they would need to fight their way through them to reach the palace. Ben brought the army to a stop when there was still a safe distance between them, surveying what laid before them. 

Lord Wilhuff Tarkin, the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial army, was on horseback at its front. Ben knew from speaking with Rey's uncle that Tarkin would not get off his horse for no other reason than him being able to flee easily should the battle not go the Imperial army's way. Not only would Tarkin want to survive, but he wouldn't want to face the Emperor should that happen. 

Lord Enric Pryde was on the ground next to Tarkin. Pryde was the Imperial army's second-in-command. He was the leader on the ground, it was his orders that the men followed, and should he survive, he would be the one to take the fall for the army's failures so that Tarkin could escape.

In short, Tarkin was the coward, and Pryde was the scapegoat. 

Ben also knew from speaking with the Imperial Crown Prince that the Imperial army was incredibly weak against archers and that they did not have any of their own. Through the coalition that they'd created, they had a full complement of archers from Chandrila and Naboo, so as Ben turned his horse back towards the other generals, that was the first thing he called forward. “Archers.”

Rey heard the cry of “archers!” go up from inside the room she was in, and she rushed over to the window to see that her army had arrived. She watched as men fell all over the Imperial army from the arrows raining down until she heard the cry to advance go out and they started to head towards hers. Her army was too far away to be able to make out any one specific person, but she knew that Ben was at its head. She sank to the floor, closed her eyes, and began praying to the Force for his survival.

She might die, but Ben had to survive. So long as Ben survived, that was all that mattered. He was Tatooine's hope for the future.

And Jakku's.

When the Imperial army was close enough, Ben climbed down from his horse and sent it away. He wasn't going to spend the battle being a coward like his opposing Commander-in-Chief. He was going to fight with his men, get to that palace, and rescue the woman he loved. 

He might die, but Rey had to survive. So long as Rey survived, that was all that mattered. She was Jakku's hope for the future.

And Tatooine's. 

As the battle commenced, Rey listened to the sounds of swords clashing and men screaming, her hands wringing together as she tried desperately not to imagine that one of the dying men was Ben. The lock on the door eventually was undone and a group of knights came into the room, ordering her up. Her grandfather had requested her presence, one of them said, and Rey knew that the moment of reckoning was coming soon. 

Someone was going to die in the palace that day and it would either be her grandfather or Ben. 

Rey told herself as they left the room that she could not even begin to contemplate it being Ben. Ben was going to get to the palace, fight his way to her, and then he was going to kill her grandfather and rescue her. Without her sword by her side, Rey no longer knew how she would be able to kill her grandfather herself. 

Ben doing it himself would suit her quite nicely at that moment.

As the fight waged on, Ben determined that the archers had done their job well and estimated that at least a third of the Imperial army had been taken out by arrows. That meant that the coalition army far exceeded the Imperial one in number, and when it became clear that they had the upper hand, Ben looked around for Poe. “Now!” he shouted when he spotted him, and Poe nodded.

Poe yelled out to Finn that it was time, and after Finn's nod, a group of knights formed around the three of them. After staring concerned at the wound on Ben's arm, Poe turned to him with a smile. “Let's go rescue our Queen.”

Ben just nodded, willing himself to think of nothing other than the fact that Rey was still alive.

Rey was brought to her grandfather's Throne Room and told to sit in a specific chair at the table, and she did so without argument. She knew that the best chance that she and Ben would have for survival would be to keep her grandfather calm and not filled with rage, so when Sheev turned to her, Rey bit back what she wanted to say. “Grandfather.”

“Rey, darling, I have brought you here this afternoon to witness the death of your men,” Sheev said, turning back to the large window in front of them. “They think that they have the upper hand, but do know that they do not. There are things about the Imperial army which are known to no one but me, my Commander-in-Chief, and the Crown Prince.”

At the mention of her uncle, Rey remembered that he was currently at the Tulara Palace in Ryloth and suspected that he had been questioned about her disappearance. If her uncle really was on her side like he had claimed, perhaps he had shared those secrets with Ben and the rest of the generals so that they may be able to successfully rescue her. “Where is my uncle?” she asked. “I would have thought that he would care to see me.”

“Your uncle is currently on his way to Dagobah. I have negotiated for one of their princesses to be a bride for his eldest son,” Sheev said, and Rey forced herself not to smile. 

Her uncle had waited for the right moment to go to Ryloth, knowing that his absence from what was about to occur would not be noticed as suspicious.

“That is a shame,” she said. “I would have liked to speak to him.”

“You can speak with him once he returns so long as you agree to hand over Jakku to me.”

“I will never do that.”

“Then you will never speak with him again.”

“Grandfather,” Rey said innocently. “Is killing an eighteen-year-old girl really something that you want to do? Can my handing off of Jakku not wait until I am older?”

“Perhaps if you hadn't mustered this army I might have listened to you, Rey, but sadly, you have chosen rebellion.” Sheev looked over at the door when it opened, clapping his hands together. “Ah, here is our first course.”

“Our first course?” Rey asked. 

“It is time for lunch, Rey,” Sheev said, sitting down at the head of the table.

“But the battle...”

“The battle will be over soon enough,” Sheev said dismissively. “The rebellion you have started will be crushed, and then if he has not already been killed, your dear Ben will be brought to me and I will kill him. Now, darling, eat.”

Rey forced her anger down and reached for her fork once a plate had been set in front of her. She couldn't risk making her grandfather angry. 

As they approached the palace, Ben noticed that Tarkin was still on horseback, but now positioned in front of the palace's main entrance with a small battalion of Imperial soldiers, and Ben let a grin cross his face. This was going exactly as the Imperial Crown Prince had said it would. “You're a coward, Tarkin.”

“You are one to speak, Prince of Tatooine,” Tarkin fired back. “My lord the Emperor will have your head for this.”

“Not as much as he'll have yours once he tracks you down,” Ben replied, and he could tell that the Imperial soldiers were confused. “Ready to run as per usual. That is the only reason you remain on horseback, is it not? So that you can escape should things go poorly?”

Ben could tell that Tarkin was surprised to know that he knew the truth and was scrambling to come up with a lie. “That is what you would like to think, Prince of Tatooine.”

“Then climb down off that horse and fight me like a man,” Ben said, stepping to the front when the knights surrounding him, Poe, and Finn straightened out. “Or are you too scared to do that?”

Tarkin stayed on his horse for a few moments, and Ben had just begun to worry that his tactic hadn't worked when Tarkin dismounted and sent the horse away. “Alright, Prince of Tatooine, you have what you want.”

“I prefer Prince Consort of Jakku, actually,” Ben said, and then he advanced. 

He engaged Tarkin once he was close enough, the rest of the men focused on the Imperial soldiers with him. It became apparent after only a few swings that Tarkin was not used to fighting and therefore his movements were slow and predictable, but Ben needed to wear him down to give the others a chance to take care of the rest. So he sped his swings up, parrying everything that Tarkin threw at him, until Tarkin collapsed onto one knee before him, panting hard. 

“Get up, Tarkin,” Ben said, putting his sword at Tarkin's neck. “I have further use for you.”

“I have no use for you,” Tarkin spit at him, but Ben pressed his sword closer to Tarkin's neck, lightly cutting into his skin. 

“Do you want to live or die?” Ben asked. “Because I will let you live if you help me do what I need to do.”

Tarkin looked up at him. “And what is that?”

Ben just grinned. “Get into the Throne Room.”

“You're mad!” Tarkin exclaimed.

“Then you're dead,” Ben responded, pulling his sword back. 

He began to swing his sword forward again, aim still for Tarkin's neck, but then Tarkin put up his hands. “Alright, alright, I surrender!”

The remaining Imperial soldiers all threw down their swords at the sound of Tarkin's surrender, and Ben reached out, grabbing Tarkin by the elbow and pulling him up. “Can you handle this from here?”

“Yeah,” Poe said, grinning. “Finn and I got things handled out here. Go rescue your wife.”

Ben grinned and began to drag Tarkin towards the stairs that led to the palace's main entrance. “Right this way, Tarkin. I'll explain what you're to do along the way.”

When attendants entered the room to clear their plates away, Rey quickly grabbed her knife and hid it underneath the table so they didn't take it. Sheev was standing at the window, his back to Rey, and he was surveying the landscape in front of him with some dismay. “Your men are better than I had been anticipating,” he said. “However, they are thoroughly unprepared for the rest of the battalions that my Commander-in-Chief will no doubt be sending in at any moment.”

Rey felt her heart sink at the thought that more Imperial soldiers were coming. “You underestimate my men.”

“You overestimate them,” Sheev said, turning back to face her. He went to speak but then a knock at the door came. “You may enter.”

Tarkin entered the room a moment later, Ben's sword in one hand and Ben's elbow clasped firmly in the other. Ben was struggling to get his arm free but Rey could tell that he couldn't, his arm no doubt weakened by the gaping wound near his shoulder. It was Ben though. She'd never been happier to see him, even if it was possibly going to be the last time she ever did.

Ben forced his eyes forward to stop them from straying over to Rey. He was going to get one chance at this, and he could not screw it up by concentrating too much on his wife. Rey was alive though, and he'd never been so relieved in his life. He was going to make sure she stayed that way, even if it meant taking his last breath.

“Ah, yes, the Prince of Tatooine has finally arrived,” Sheev said. “Well done, Commander Tarkin.”

“It was my honor, Your Imperial Majesty,” Tarkin said, shoving Ben in front of him and setting his sword on the table. “I need to return to my duties now.”

“Yes, by all means, go put an end to this rebellion,” Sheev said, waving him off. 

Tarkin took one look over at Rey and then left the Throne Room. He'd be in Eriadu long before the Emperor ever found out his part in this, should the Emperor survive.

Rey watched as Sheev began to come closer to Ben, and she noticed that Ben turned so that he was facing her, keeping Sheev's back to her. “I won't let you hurt her,” Ben said, making Sheev laugh.

“I don't know if you've noticed, boy, but I have you held hostage without a weapon in your reach,” he said, glancing over at the sword on the table. “Thank you for bringing me a sword though. It will make killing you so much easier.”

Ben's eyes flicked over to Rey's briefly before focusing back on her grandfather. One chance. They had one chance, and he could only hope that Rey would realize her part in it before it was too late.

“Rey, darling,” Sheev said, and him calling Rey that made Ben's blood boil. That was his name for her. “You have only now to tell me the truth of how you came to marry this man. It is your only chance to save him.”

Rey knew that nothing was going to save Ben but her, but she hadn't yet worked out how. “I married him for Tatooine's army, Grandfather.”

“Indeed,” Sheev said, shaking his head. “So all this talk of love has been nothing more than a lie. I knew it.”

Rey turned her eyes away from Ben because she couldn't look at him while she said what she knew she had to. “Yes, Grandfather,” she murmured, her eyes falling on the sword on the table. “A lie.”

Ben felt pain rocket through him at her words but knew deep down that she wasn't telling her grandfather the truth. He had noticed that Rey hadn't been looking at him as she said it but instead at the sword, and he prayed that she'd picked up on what he hoped she would do. “It may not be love on her part, but it is on mine.”

That drew Sheev's attention fully back to him, and Ben knew that Rey had picked up on things when he saw her slowly start to move her chair back. “Your granddaughter is an incredibly special woman. The best woman I've ever met.”

“She is a child,” Sheev said, shaking his head. “A silly, foolish child who has no idea how to do anything. My son and that whore he was married to coddled her until no end. Waiting until she was eighteen to train her in how to be a Queen? I almost couldn't believe my luck when I heard that was the plan. Get rid of them before then and I would have a granddaughter who needed my every bit of advice to survive a day, let alone a year. 

“And then along you came and you taught her how to resist my every attempt at manipulation. I tried to get her to see what you were doing, of course, but you made her too suspicious of my best spy for her to listen to a word he had to say. I am going to enjoy killing you so much. The last hope of the Skywalkers. I look forward to marching on Tatooine and killing every surviving member of your family there is after this.”

Ben felt anger burn through him but knew he couldn't act on it. He flicked his eyes to Rey to see that she was now standing and reaching for the sword. One chance. They had one chance.

“If you think my grandfather would allow that to happen, you are sorely mistaken.”

Rey picked up the sword as silently as she possibly could, feeling its weight in her hands. She noticed Ben take several steps backward, which just made her grandfather take several steps forward, and she realized that he had made space for her between the table and her grandfather by doing so. A smile crossed her face. 

Ben knew what she was doing. Of course, he did.

“Your grandfather is a lying snake who cost me everything that I loved,” Sheev sneered. “One state visit to Tatooine and my wife was swooning for him. I knew that she didn't love me and that was fine, but when it became apparent that one visit to the young Tatooinian king had made her fall in love with him, then I wanted to destroy them both. I needed heirs though, so I bred her until I had no further use for her and then strangled her in her sleep. I did not care that my children had no mother. I didn't have a mother either.

“I have wanted to kill Anakin Skywalker ever since, but I needed a base closer to Tatooine to launch from. That's why I had my son marry that bitch. I needed Jakku so I could destroy the Skywalkers. Finding out that I'd done all that work to put myself in a position to annex Jakku only to see my granddaughter marry a Skywalker was infuriating. I wanted to have Snoke kill you then, but I needed more information as to why this had happened. Now, I will look forward to destroying everything that you love.”

“I am sorry that you have never known love,” Ben said, forcing himself to take a deep breath when he saw Rey creep up behind Sheev. One chance. They had one chance. And it was about to happen. “Love is the most wonderful thing in the world. My family taught me that, but it was your granddaughter who really showed me what love could be. I know that she loves me in return, even if she did not just say it.”

“He's right, Grandfather,” Rey said, and Sheev spun around to see her standing there with the sword. “And I'm sorry you didn't know love.”

Then Rey reached back and plunged the sword into the middle of her grandfather's chest.

Sheev dropped to the ground when she pulled the sword back, his hands trying desperately to stop the blood running out of the wound in his chest. “Guards!” he called out as loudly as he could manage. “Guards!”

The door to the Throne Room opened and Rey prepared to defend herself, but she grinned when she saw that it was Poe, Finn, and a group of her men. She turned her attention back to her dying grandfather, bent down to him, and smiled. “I hope you will be at peace, Grandfather. My father would have wanted that.”

Sheev's eyes were wide and he was still grasping at the wound in his chest, and then suddenly his motions stopped, his head rolling to the side. He was dead.

He was dead and Rey had killed him. Her parents had finally been avenged, just like she'd wanted. 

She stood up and threw herself into Ben's arms, and Ben held her as close as he possibly could. Rey. His darling Rey. She'd survived. 

They'd both survived.

Rey buried her face in his shoulder, Ben holding her tighter as he looked over at Poe and Finn. “The rest of the guards?”

“Taken care of,” Poe said.

“Tarkin?”

“Killed at the stables, just where you said he'd be headed,” Finn said, grinning. “I was the lucky one who got to do it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Poe said, laughing. “We're heading back to the battlefield. From the sounds of it, they've coaxed a surrender out of those who remain.”

“That's wonderful news,” Ben said. “I'll just be here with Rey. Come let me know what is happening a bit later.”

“Yes, Your Royal Highness,” Poe and Finn said at the same time, and then everyone bowed and left the room. 

Once they were gone, Ben pressed a kiss to the side of Rey's head. “Darling? Are you injured?”

Rey took a couple of deep breaths and then pulled back, shaking her head. “No, but you clearly are.”

Ben looked over at his arm. “It looks worse than it is.”

“It looks horrific,” Rey said, reaching for it. “I'm sure there's a court doctor around here that can attend to it. We should see...”

Ben pulled Rey into a kiss, grinning into it when she went slack against him. They kissed until they were breathless, pulling apart to get some air only to be drawn together again, and they lost themselves in the fact that they were there with each other again, and that they'd survived.

They'd survived.

They'd won.

**********

As the army approached Niima, they could hear a cry go up within the city, and then suddenly the streets were filled. Rey smiled at her people from her place on her horse before looking over at where Ben rode beside her. Cheers went up for their Queen and their Prince as they made their way through the city to Onyx Palace, and Rey was relieved that the city seemed to be unharmed.

Snap and Rose came out into the bailey as they got off their horses, and Rey could only smile when Rose forgot protocol and instead just rushed to hug her. Rey hugged her back tightly as Snap greeted Ben, and then Rose let go of her only so that she could go to Finn. Rey watched as they embraced each other tightly, coming together for a deep kiss. She had never been happier to know that Finn had survived the war because she knew Rose would have been devastated if he hadn't.

As she looked around the familiar confines of the castle, she noticed Zorii standing on the stairs, camera in hand. Questions were being thrown up all around the world about why she had overthrown and killed her grandfather, and she knew that Zorii's documentary was going to be instrumental in getting the truth out there. She decided at that moment to allow Zorii to interview her for the documentary, something that she had been steadfastly opposed to before. The world needed to hear the story straight from her own mouth for them not to believe the film was a piece of propaganda, and she would be more than happy to tell the tale.

When all the greetings were finished, Rey took Ben's arm and they went into the castle, being applauded by everyone they passed on their way to their chambers. And it was truly their chambers now, this network of rooms that were all connected, because if they had been married before, Rey didn't know what to call them now. A partnership, two that had come together to become one, something that far exceeded anything she'd ever dreamed of, let alone thought she'd get on her wedding day. It was the two of them and it would always be the two of them. Rey wouldn't have it any other way.

Well, until it was time for there to be more. She felt too young for motherhood, she only barely knew how to be Queen, but the time would come someday, maybe sooner rather than later, and she would welcome it when it did. An heir for Jakku. An heir for Tatooine. 

An heir for Jakku and Tatooine.

Once they were inside their chambers, Rey's ladies-in-waiting rushed to her and Ben's attendants to him, and they let themselves be taken away from each other. As Rey sat in her dressing room letting Elizabeth brush her freshly-washed hair, she had the television tuned to JNN and smiled as Paige announced that Jakku's Warrior Queen and her Warrior Prince had returned. 

Warrior Queen. Rey had never thought she'd ever be called that.

Ben came in eventually, his hair still drying from his shower, and Rey smiled at the sight of him. “You look better than I've seen you in weeks,” she said.

“Yes, well, it's been a pretty stressful few weeks,” Ben replied, coming to sit next to her. “You look more beautiful than I've ever seen you.”

Rey laughed. “My hair is still wet and I'm in my robe.”

“I know, darling,” Ben murmured, leaning over to kiss her. “As I said, more beautiful than I've ever seen you.”

Rey smiled into the kiss when she heard Elizabeth say “aww,” and then she pushed Ben away. “I need to finish getting dressed. We have a banquet to attend tonight.”

Ben just shook his head. “I can't believe Snap had one planned for the very night we had gotten back.”

“Of course he did,” Rey laughed. “They're calling us a Warrior Queen and a Warrior Prince on JNN.”

“I saw,” Ben said, smiling at her. “You've definitely earned that title.”

“So have you,” Rey said, smiling back. “I'll see you in a little bit.”

Ben kissed her again and then stood. “I'll go see if there is something that can be had as a celebratory drink for us tonight after the banquet.”

Rey chuckled. “Just make sure it's not from Coruscant.”

“Don't worry, I will,” Ben said, pressing a kiss to the top of Rey's head. “I'll see you later, darling.”

Rey watched Ben walk out of the room and then turned her attention back to the television in front of her. Another JNN interview was probably in order as well. The people of her nation needed to hear from her.

No. The people of their nation needed to hear from them.

Just the thought made Rey smile.

**********

Rey woke in the soft glow of light, yawning as she noticed that the moon was still high in the sky through the slightly open curtains. She pulled the bedsheets closer around her naked body and settled in to go back to sleep. She was concentrating on taking deep breaths when she heard the sob, and her eyes flew open. “Ben?” she asked, shifting onto her other side.

Ben didn't say anything, didn't roll over so his back wasn't to her, and Rey was concerned. She slid across the bed to him and curled around his back, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Talk to me, please.”

Ben let out a few more sobs before shifting around until he was clinging to Rey, wetting her neck with his tears. Rey held him as close as she could, pressing kisses everywhere she could reach. “Let it out,” she murmured, pretty sure she knew why he was crying. “It's alright.”

Ben cried for what felt like hours, memories of his father rushing through his mind at a speed too fast for him to focus on one. His father had been the example of the perfect soldier that Ben had always strived to be. To see him be cut down before him the way that he had been was one of the most traumatic experiences of his life.

And then he had set it aside and concentrated on getting the job done, just as his father would have wanted him to.

But he couldn't keep it to the side anymore. Not when they were leaving the next morning for Mos Eisley to attend the public funeral services in his father's memory.

“I loved him so much, Rey,” he finally got out. “And I don't think he knew it.”

“He did,” Rey soothed. “I promise you that he did.”

“We had such a difficult relationship at times. Arguments for days about the stupidest things imaginable. Mama always said I took after him more than I know and that was why we had times when we couldn't get along, but...he was my father, darling, and he's gone.”

“I know that pain,” Rey said softly. “And it's going to be a while before you can get through the day without thinking about what happened. But the pain will dull and life will go on, and I know that's what your father would have wanted. He would have wanted you to live.”

“Is that what you think about when it comes to your parents?” Ben asked quietly. “Is that what gets you through the day?”

“Yes,” Rey said honestly. “If I did not live the way they taught me to live, I think they would be incredibly disappointed in me. And the one thing I never wanted to do was disappoint my parents.”

Ben felt tears run down his face again. “He told me once that he thought that if I focused I'd be a great king one day. He was always telling me that I wasn't focused enough, that being so unfocused was going to be the death of me someday. And I didn't really believe him. I didn't think that I had been like that. Then he died and you were taken, and I don't think I've ever been so focused in my life.”

“Do you think he would have been proud of you doing that?” 

“Yes,” Ben murmured. “That was one of the things that he taught me before I first went off to battle with him and my uncle. You may have to bury friends after one battle, but once that's done, you set that to the side and move on to the next battle until the war is won.”

“Then I think that Han was watching you from the stars and smiling at you going on until the war was won,” Rey said, pressing a kiss to Ben's forehead when he pulled back and shifted against her. “He was proud of you, Ben. I know it.”

“Going to Mos Eisley is going to be difficult. Seeing my mother in mourning for my father is going to be difficult.”

“I know,” Rey said, reaching up to brush some hair out of Ben's eyes. “But I will be there to help you through it.”

Ben gave her a wry smile. “I know that you didn't get to spend that much time with him, but he liked you a lot.”

“Then I suspect you had his approval in that respect as well,” Rey said, leaning in and kissing Ben softly. “Was it a slow death?”

Ben shook his head. “No, it was pretty quick.”

“Then thank the Force that he wasn't in pain for long,” Rey murmured, kissing Ben again. “And then thank the Force for him ever being in your life, and then ask the Force to protect him in the stars. That's all you can do.”

Ben nodded and shifted closer to Rey again. “I love you, Rey. I don't know how I'd be getting through this without you.”

“I love you too,” Rey said softly. “And I will always be here for you, Ben. Always.”

Ben leaned forward and drew Rey into a deep kiss, and soon their hands were moving along each other's bodies. He rolled her onto her back and slid in between her legs, breaking their kiss to trail his lips down her neck. “Mind being some distraction for me?”

“Mmm,” Rey mumbled when Ben hit a sensitive spot. “Not at all.”

**********

Rey had forgotten how boring the audience hours were. Sure, Ben was sitting by her side, and sure, this was all stuff that needed to be done, but she'd forgotten how boring they were.

Or maybe they weren't boring before but after the adventure she'd just been on, they were boring now. She wasn't entirely sure.

“His Grace the Duke of Yavin, Your Majesty,” Finn said, and Poe stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness,” Poe said, bowing. “I have come to request something from you.”

“Alright, let us hear this request,” Rey said, and Poe nodded.

“I have come to request that a position at court be made available for Miss Bliss.”

Rey hadn't been expecting that. “A position at court for Miss Bliss? She is here to film a documentary, Your Grace. I do not know what kind of position she could fill.”

“I was thinking of making her the official documentarian of the Jakkuvian court, my lady,” Poe explained. “Someone who can document on film the important things that occur around here so that they can be used as training materials for future monarchs, especially in the case that something happens again such as what happened to your parents.”

“Hm,” Rey pondered, looking over at Ben. “What do you think about that?”

“I think there's an ulterior motive to this request,” Ben said, and they turned their attention back to Poe.

Poe stood there for a moment before sighing heavily. “Alright, so maybe I'm in love with her and don't want her to go back to Kijimi.”

“Then why didn't you just say so,” came Zorii's voice, and they looked to see her approaching. “You could have just asked me to stay.”

“I didn't think you'd want to without a reason,” Poe said, turning towards her.

“You know, for all the important things that you do around here, you really are quite dumb,” Zorii said, stepping up to him and pulling him into a kiss. 

Rey smiled until she couldn't stop the giggles from coming, which made Poe and Zorii jump apart. “Your Majesty,” Poe began, “my sincerest apologies for...”

“Oh, no apologies are necessary,” Rey said, grinning at him. “I am glad to see you so happy, Your Grace. And you as well, Miss Bliss.”

“Zorii,” she said. “How many times must I request for you to call me Zorii?”

Rey looked over at Ben and he nodded. “Inside the Throne Room we must be formal at all times,” she said. “But outside the Throne Room, I will begin to call you by your given name at your request.”

Zorii looked surprised but then smiled. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“And I would like to hear more later about this idea you have for a court documentarian, Your Grace, especially as it sounds like we will need to find a place for Miss Bliss within the court.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Poe said, bowing.

“Miss Bliss, before you go,” Rey said, “I would like to have you arrange a time with His Grace for me to sit down and allow you to interview me for your documentary.”

Zorii's eyes went wide. “You said you would never give me an interview, my lady.”

“I have changed my mind,” Rey said, smiling at her.

“I will give you one as well,” Ben added. “Or perhaps we could do it together if that is what you would prefer.”

“It would be my honor,” Zorii said. “I need to work out how to fit that into my current plan but then I will schedule the interviews with Poe.”

“Thank you,” Rey said, looking over at Finn. “Congratulations, by the way. Do let me know when it's time to issue a court proclamation.”

Zorii looked confused but Poe quickly bowed, whispered for her to curtsy, and then hurried them away. Ben laughed and looked over at Rey. “What, might I ask, would this proclamation be for?”

“An engagement, Your Royal Highness,” Finn said, and Rey turned to find him standing before her with Rose. “All members of the nobility need the monarch's permission to marry.”

Rey grinned. “And you are here to request permission.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Finn said as he bowed and Rose curtsied. “Lady Tico has graciously accepted my proposal.”

“I hope you realize that you could have been married for at least three years by now,” Rey said. “It took you two forever to tell each other how you felt.”

“You knew this whole time?” Ben asked, laughing. “And here I thought that I might be encouraging him into heartbreak when I told him to take a chance on asking Lady Tico to accompany him to the coronation balls.”

“Oh yes, I've known the entire time,” Rey said, turning her attention back to them. “Then let it be known that Viscount Krownest and Lady Rose Tico are soon to be wed. An official proclamation will be drawn up and signed before being read before the entire court.”

Finn and Rose both beamed at her. “Thank you, my lady,” Rose said. “For everything.”

“Thank you, Lady Tico,” Rey said, “for everything. I would be lost without your friendship and counsel.”

“It is my honor, my lady,” Rose said, curtsying. 

“Your audience time is now officially over, Your Majesty,” Finn said. “And the Duke of Yavin asked me to inform you that you both have no duties for the rest of the afternoon until the banquet this evening.”

“Thank you, Lord Storm,” Rey said. “I shall have the proclamation drawn up today and it will be read at the banquet tonight.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Finn and Rose both said, bowing and curtsying again before walking away. 

Rey stood and climbed down from the throne, Ben standing up to join her. “The rest of the day off. I wonder what we should do.”

“I have a few ideas,” Ben said, holding out his arm to her. 

“Oh? And what are these ideas?” Rey asked as they walked out of the Throne Room.

“Well, first, I've found a place that I think the Evaan Verlaine would hang nicely in that I wanted to show you,” Ben said. “Then I thought you could tell me about this Gial Ackbar that I found that I've never been able to ask you about.”

“I see,” Rey mused.

“And then, after the banquet tonight, I think that you and I should spend the rest of the evening alone,” Ben said, grinning at her.

“I quite like that idea,” Rey said, leaning into his side. “But let us spend the afternoon looking at art. We have not been able to do that in quite some time.”

“You are right about that, darling. Perhaps you will show me more of your favorites.”

“Gladly.”

As they walked along the corridor looking up at the paintings, Rey was taken back to the day they met and the conversation they'd had about the Yoda painting that had caught Ben's eye. She would have to find an up and coming artist and bring them in to paint a portrait of the two of them, one that would hang somewhere in the palace, and be looked up at by one of their descendants generations from now, knowing that the future of Jakku and the future of Tatooine had become entangled by the two of them.

The two that had won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's just so fitting that the end of my revenge tale/love story landed on Revenge of the Fifth. It really is.
> 
> well, that's that. thank you so much to everyone who let me know that you liked this, and thank you to those that just lurked as well. I've wanted to write a story like this for YEARS and so the fact that people liked it makes me really, really happy. I appreciate your support so much.


End file.
